Flyweight · “StarBoy”
Manel Kape
23-7-0 UFC 8-3-0
One-Punch Power
Granite Chin
Keeps It Standing
Finisher
5'5"Height
68"Reach
SouthpawStance
32Age
6KO wins
0Sub wins
75.0%Finish rate
11:16Avg fight
Skill profile
striking
elite
1 read
grappling
good
1 read
wrestling
not yet read
cardio
not yet read
durability
not yet read
One-Punch Power
8 knockdowns · 0.97 per 15 min
Granite Chin
never dropped in 123 minutes of cage time · 0 losses by knockout
Keeps It Standing
stuffs 79% of takedowns and spends 3% of the fight grappling
Finisher
75% of wins by knockout or submission (6 KO, 0 sub)
Career rates — the raw numbers behind the chart
Sig. strikes landed / min4.68
Sig. strikes absorbed / min3.88
Striking accuracy55.1%
Striking defense57.0%
Knockdowns / 15 min0.97
Takedowns / 15 min0.36
Takedown accuracy30.0%
Takedown defense78.6%
Sub attempts / 15 min0.24
Control time2.9%
Record vs .500+ opponents5-3
Insider info
Kyoji Horiguchi favored — picked against Manel Kape lean UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi · June 16, 2026
strikingelite
grapplinggood
Picked against in a rematch he lost by submission previously, with the analyst saying he's genuinely less confident here than in past picks for the same side, given real respect for the danger this opponent presents.
Very skilled, genuinely elite striker with lightning-fast hands -- rated among the fastest strikers in the UFC purely for striking speed. Excellent movement, sharp faints, real one-shot power, and picks his shots well. The recurring flaw is giving away minutes by being too patient, though his finishing power often makes that not matter. Good, if not primary, grappler -- will drop in a takedown if the moment calls for it, has a good cage push with really good knees worked in the clinch, and good takedown defense backed by an excellent sprawl (slightly less sharp against the cage than in open space, but still solid there too).
Strengthlightning-fast hands, rated among the UFC's fastest strikers
Strengthsharp faints, real one-shot power, picks shots well
Strengthexcellent sprawl and good takedown defense, good clinch knees
Weaknesscan be too patient and give away minutes, a recurring pattern
Striking trend
Fight history
W Kyoji Horiguchi 35-5 walk-in KO/TKO · R3 2:42 — UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Horiguchi · June 20, 2026
19/56Sig. strikes
27/53Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:10Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Brandon Royval 17-8 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 3:18 — UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Kape · December 13, 2025
17/23Sig. strikes
17/26Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:04Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Asu Almabayev 21-2 walk-in KO/TKO · R3 2:16 — UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Almabayev · March 1, 2025
61/115Sig. strikes
40/80Absorbed
0/1Takedowns
0:29Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Bruno Silva 4-2 walk-in KO/TKO · R3 1:57 — UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Buckley · December 14, 2024
111/168Sig. strikes
57/112Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:01Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Muhammad Mokaev 12-0 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 · July 27, 2024
20/48Sig. strikes
30/82Absorbed
0/1Takedowns
0:04Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Felipe dos Santos 0-0 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC 293: Adesanya vs. Strickland · September 9, 2023
112/182Sig. strikes
99/304Absorbed
1/1Takedowns
0:45Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W David Dvorak 20-4 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Strickland · December 17, 2022
58/119Sig. strikes
33/94Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:57Control
1Knockdowns
2Sub attempts
W Zhalgas Zhumagulov 11-5 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 4:02 — UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Aldo · December 4, 2021
53/72Sig. strikes
31/79Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:03Control
2Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Ode Osbourne 9-3 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 4:44 — UFC 265: Lewis vs. Gane · August 7, 2021
19/29Sig. strikes
18/38Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:02Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Matheus Nicolau 15-2-1 walk-in Decision - Split · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Muhammad · March 13, 2021
61/150Sig. strikes
55/102Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:38Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Alexandre Pantoja 22-5 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Volkov · February 6, 2021
49/91Sig. strikes
74/149Absorbed
2/7Takedowns
0:25Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
Walk-in records count UFC bouts in this database. For the pre-UFC career, see the record breakdown below or the Tapology button up top.
Record breakdown
Wins by method
KO/TKO
15
Submission
5
Decision
3
Other
0
Losses by method
KO/TKO
0
Submission
2
Decision
5
Other
0
Fights by organization
UFC
11
Rizin
6
Cage Fighters
4
Rizin World Grand Prix
3
Knock Out Championship
2
Invictus Pro MMA League
2
International Pro Combat
1
Ansgar Fighting League
1
Full career — 30 fights, every organization
| Opponent | Method | Event | Org | Rd | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | Kyoji Horiguchi | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Horiguchi
June 20, 2026 |
UFC | 3 | 2:42 |
| W | Brandon Royval | KO (punches) | UFC on ESPN: Royval vs. Kape
December 13, 2025 |
UFC | 1 | 3:18 |
| W | Asu Almabayev | TKO (retirement) | UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Almabayev
March 1, 2025 |
UFC | 3 | 2:16 |
| W | Bruno Gustavo da Silva | TKO (body kick and punches) | UFC on ESPN: Covington vs. Buckley
December 14, 2024 |
UFC | 3 | 1:57 |
| L | Muhammad Mokaev | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 304
July 27, 2024 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Felipe dos Santos | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 293
September 10, 2023 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | David Dvořák | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Strickland
December 17, 2022 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Zhalgas Zhumagulov | TKO (punches) | UFC on ESPN: Font vs. Aldo
December 4, 2021 |
UFC | 1 | 4:02 |
| W | Ode' Osbourne | KO (flying knee and punches) | UFC 265
August 7, 2021 |
UFC | 1 | 4:44 |
| L | Matheus Nicolau | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Muhammad
March 13, 2021 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Alexandre Pantoja | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Volkov
February 6, 2021 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Kai Asakura | TKO (punches) | Rizin 20
December 31, 2019 |
Rizin | 2 | 0:38 |
| W | Takeya Mizugaki | KO (punch) | Rizin 18
August 18, 2019 |
Rizin | 2 | 1:36 |
| W | Seiichiro Ito | TKO (punch to the body) | Rizin 15
April 21, 2019 |
Rizin | 2 | 3:59 |
| L | Ulka Sasaki | Decision (unanimous) | Rizin 14
December 31, 2018 |
Rizin | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Yusaku Nakamura | Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) | Rizin 13
September 30, 2018 |
Rizin | 3 | 4:27 |
| L | Kai Asakura | Decision (split) | Rizin 10
May 6, 2018 |
Rizin | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Kyoji Horiguchi | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | Rizin World Grand Prix 2017: Final Round
December 31, 2017 |
Rizin World Grand Prix | 3 | 4:27 |
| W | Ian McCall | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Rizin World Grand Prix 2017: 2nd Round
December 29, 2017 |
Rizin World Grand Prix | 1 | 1:46 |
| W | Erson Yamamoto | TKO (head kick and punch) | Rizin World Grand Prix 2017: Opening Round Part 2
October 15, 2017 |
Rizin World Grand Prix | 1 | 1:11 |
| W | Francisco Javier Asprilla | TKO (punches) | International Pro Combat 7
April 27, 2015 |
International Pro Combat | 3 | 4:59 |
| W | Antoine Gallinaro | Submission (armbar) | Knock Out Championship 8
April 18, 2015 |
Knock Out Championship | 4 | 2:26 |
| W | Miguel Valverde | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Invictus Pro MMA League 2
December 19, 2014 |
Invictus Pro MMA League | 3 | — |
| W | Daniel Barez | Submission (armbar) | Ansgar Fighting League 2
November 29, 2014 |
Ansgar Fighting League | 1 | 3:25 |
| W | Hicham Rachid | KO (flying knee to the body) | Invictus Pro MMA League 1
July 27, 2014 |
Invictus Pro MMA League | 1 | 2:42 |
| L | Souksavanh Khampasath | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Knock Out Championship 7
April 5, 2014 |
Knock Out Championship | 3 | 3:27 |
| W | Marco Santos | Decision (unanimous) | Cage Fighters 3
July 28, 2013 |
Cage Fighters | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Ricardo Teixeira | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Cage Fighters: Challengers Norte 2
February 3, 2013 |
Cage Fighters | 1 | 2:38 |
| W | Renato Ferreira | TKO (punches) | Cage Fighters: Challengers Norte 1
November 4, 2012 |
Cage Fighters | 1 | 0:45 |
| W | Artur Gomes | TKO (punches) | Cage Fighters 2
May 13, 2012 |
Cage Fighters | 1 | 4:27 |
Career history from the fighter's Wikipedia record table (Manel Kape) — results only, no strike stats; UFC bouts are marked and carry full stats in the fight history above.
Division context
Hero photo of Manel Kape by Bruno Massami · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons