Manel Kape has made a statement on why he might deserve the first shot at new flyweight champion Joshua Van, as he closes out the UFC on ESPN era with a finish of Brandon Royval in the UFC Vegas 112 main event.
The pair felt each other out during the opening frame, trading low kicks and short strikes. Kape worked over Royval's battle during the round to bring him toward the fence, and that was the opening Kape was looking for.
Kape landed a right hand that cracked Royval, slumping him against the fence with his strikes. Some follow-up ground-and-pound brought the fight to a quick end, giving Kape the first-round finish.
Manel Kape Blasts Through Brandon Royval At UFC Vegas 112
Kape has now won three straight and seven of his last eight.
Despite the loss, Royval is still 5-2 in his last seven fights.