Latest news with #ManelKape
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Kai Kara-France on old nemesis Manel Kape: 'He's an entitled, insecure clown'
UFC flyweights Manel Kape and Kai Kara-France have been vocal about their distain for one another. Photo: Photosport It has all the elements for an explosion. Two bitter rivals, one stage, high stakes, and the world watching. Kiwi flyweight Kai Kara-France is set for the biggest fight of his career when he gets his second shot at undisputed gold on 29 June against champion Alexandre Pantoja. Undoubtedly by design, Kara-France will share the UFC 317 card with an old nemesis, Manel Kape. The animosity between the pair is palpable, and was on full display at the UFC media conference in 2023 in Sydney. Originally scheduled to fight each other, Kara -France was forced to pull out due to injury, a move which prompted Kape to call Kara-France a "p***y". As well as insults, Kape also threw a bottle at Kara-France, prompting intervention form City Kick Boxing teammate Israel Adesanya. Should they cross paths in Vegas, Kara-France does not intend to be civil. "If he does try anything on the stage at the weigh-ins or media day, if he tries to throw a bottle at me, it's not going to be the same reaction. This is definitely personal. I don't like the guy. I think he's a clown. I think he's very insecure and very entitled, and in the fight game, the circle's too small. Eventually we're going to run into each other." The 34-year old said karma will catch Kape. "All that talk you've been doing, eventually you're going to be humbled and he needs a bit of humble pie. I would love to do it, but I want to make sure I get paid to do it. So, that fight's always going to be in front of me, but right now all my eyes are set on Pantoja and being the first one to knock him out." Should Kara-France prevail against Pantoja, he said Kape would be an ideal first defence, and he said he would love to see it run in his own backyard. "He's got a tough fight in front of him, but if he does win, I can see the UFC setting that up. So, I would love to, obviously not looking past Pantoja, but I would love to defend my first title defence at home at Spark Arena, or Eden Park and stack the card with the best New Zealand and Australia talent," Kara-France said. "That's always been a dream of mine to win a world title and to defend back at home, defend the whenua."
USA Today
26-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 317
Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 317 Brandon Royval and Manel Kape will square off in a potential title eliminator at UFC 317. Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape preview After their main event booking for UFC Fight Night 253 fell apart due to a Royval (17-7 MMA, 7-3 UFC) injury, the fight now comes together again on the main card of UFC 317. Kape (21-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC) remained in the headlining slot in March and faced replacement opponent Asu Almabayev. "Starboy" won the fight by third-round stoppage to record back-to-back wins. Kape has also won 6 of his last seven. Since falling short in his title opportunity against flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 296, Royval rebounded with back-to-back split decision wins over former champion Brandon Moreno and Tatsuro Taira at UFC Fight Night 244. Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape odds According to DraftKings, Kape is a larger favorite than the previous booking for UFC Fight Night 253. Kape is now a sizable -298 favorite, when he was just -198. Royval is now a +240 underdog, who was previously listed at +164 going into the March booking. How to watch Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape at UFC 317
USA Today
02-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC Fight Night 253 post-event facts: Andrea Lee sets dubious losing skid record
The first of five UFC events in the month of March took place Saturday with UFC Fight Night 253, which went down at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The 10-fight lineup was capped off by a flyweight headliner. Manel Kape (21-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC) rose to the occasion of his first main event with the promotion with a third-round TKO of Asu Almabayev (21-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC). For more on the numbers, check below for MMA Junkie's post-event facts from UFC Fight Night 253. * * * *
USA Today
02-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Mick Maynard's Shoes: What's next for Manel Kape after UFC Fight Night 253 win?
Manel Kape maintained his position as a surging flyweight title contender Saturday when he came out on the winning end of the UFC Fight Night 253 against Asu Almabayev. Kape (21-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC) chased down Almabayev (21-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) for a third-round TKO at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and is now riding some strong momentum as he looks to secure his first opportunity at gold. 'Star Boy' wants his opportunity to challenge reigning 125-pound kingpin Alexandre Pantoja, but how realistic is it at this point in time? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Kape's future after his victory in the UFC Fight Night 253 headliner. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 253.
USA Today
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
UFC Fight Night 253 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: JJ Aldrich leads with $16,000
LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday's UFC Fight Night 253 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $134,500. The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy. UFC Fight Night 253 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+. The full UFC Fight Night 253 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included: * * * * Manel Kape: $6,000 def. Asu Almabayev: $4,500 Cody Brundage: $11,000 def. Julian Marquez: $6,000 Nasrat Haqparast: $11,000 def. Esteban Ribovics: $4,500 Hyder Amil: $4,000 def. William Gomis: $4,500 Sam Patterson: $4,500 def. Danny Barlow: $4,000 Mario Pinto: $4,000 def. Austen Lane: $4,500 Chepe Mariscal: $4,500 def. Ricardo Ramos: $11,000 Danny Silva: $4,000 def. Lucas Almeida: $4,500 JJ Aldrich: $16,000 def. Andrea Lee: $11,000 Ramazonbek Temirov: $4,000 def. Charles Johnson: $11,000 Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program's payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum's multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2531 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000. In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials. Full 2025 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts: Year-to-date total: $1,359,000 2024 total: $8,280,500 2023 total: $8,188,000 2022 total: $8,351,500 2021 total: $6,167,500 Program-to-date total: $32,376,500 For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 253.
