Manel Kape, a UFC flyweight fighter, was originally set to face Matheus Nicolau in a rematch as the main event of UFC on ESPN 55 on April 27. However, Kape had to withdraw from the fight for undisclosed reasons. Later, Kape took to X (formerly Twitter) to explain the factors that led to his decision.
As a result, Alex Perez was announced as the replacement to fight Nicolau in the main event. The UFC made this announcement on Tuesday, April 2, confirming Kape’s withdrawal and the new matchup between Perez and Nicolau.
Reasons Behind Manel Kape’s Withdrawal from UFC Main Event Fight
Kape explained that he sustained a rib cartilage injury requiring surgery last week. Additionally, he emphasized that previous fight cancellations were attributed to his opponents.
“This is the first time I’ve ever pull out of a fight, I broke the cartilage of my rib and I couldn’t move for a week. On Thursday last week my surgery went extremely well. Bare in mind that all my fights that got cancelled in the past was due to my opponents.
Where I came from we used to fight for free, I’m not bragging about I’m just being honest so don’t ever think I’m like some of you guys. ALLAH IS THE GREAT.”
Kape’s rematch with Nicolau was initially planned for UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2. However, the fight was called off when Kape weighed in at 129.5 pounds, exceeding the flyweight non-title fight limit by three and a half pounds.
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Taking Kape’s spot, Perez (with a UFC record of 6-4) aims to recover from a recent loss. He was originally set to fight Tagir Ulanbekov on June 15 but is now slated to face Nicolau. The ex-UFC title contender is seeking redemption following a unanimous decision defeat to Muhammad Mokaev in March.
