Manel Kape and Brandon Royval are set for a scrap on March 1 to find out flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja’s subsequent challenger.
Kape scored a formidable third-round knockout towards Bruno Silva on the promotion’s remaining occasion of 2024. Having gained 5 of his final six, ‘Starboy’ is on the cusp of his first shot at UFC gold. To get there, he’ll must undergo Royval per a report from AG Battle.
In response to the report, Kape and Royval will sq. off on March 1 when the UFC heads again to The APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.
After seeing his four-fight win streak snapped by the hands of the not too long ago launched Muhammad Mokaev, Kape bounced again in an enormous approach towards Silva at UFC Tampa. By means of two rounds, ‘Starboy’ delivered a dominant efficiency accompanied by a wholesome quantity of trash speak and showboating earlier than ending Silva just below the two-minute mark of the third spherical.
Kape goes into the title eliminator sporting a 5-3 document contained in the Octagon, 20-7 general, and is the sixth-ranked contender within the flyweight division.
Brandon Rovyal earn a 3rd crack at Pantoja with a win over Manel Kape
Standing throughout from ‘Starboy’ this spring might be Brandon Royval, a former UFC title challenger coming off a formidable efficiency towards Tatsuro Taira at a Battle Evening occasion in October.
Like Kape, Royval has gained 5 of his final six and is at present sitting on back-to-back wins over Taira and former flyweight titleholder Brandon Moreno. ‘Raw Dog’ additionally holds victories over Tim Elliott, Kai Kara-France, and Matheus Nicolau. Royval has already gone toe-to-toe with Pantoja on two separate events — as soon as earlier than and as soon as after ‘The Cannibal’ claimed the 125-pound crown.
Royval got here up quick on each events, the newest being their flyweight title tilt at UFC 296. Pantoja earned a decisive unanimous choice victory and has since adopted that up with wins towards Steve Erceg and two-time RIZIN FF bantamweight champion Kai Asakura.
Royval is at present sitting because the No. 1 ranked contender within the division and holds a 7-3 document within the UFC, 17-7 general.
