UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs Volkov- Alexandre Pantoja vs Manel Kape: Prediction and Analysis

UFC flyweight, Alexandre Pantoja, takes on newcomer, Manel Kape, on the main card for Fight Night: Overeem vs Volkov. The 125-pound division is thriving as of late, and the inclusion of both men on the card is a welcome addition. Not to mention, fans and pundits are circling the aforementioned scrap to be a front runner for ‘Fight of the Night’.

Deiveson Figueiredo has held a stranglehold over the division, and many believe the winner of this fight could be a candidate. While casual fans may not know Manel Kape, he’s been a highly-touted prospect long before his arrival in the promotion. Fans and analysts are on the lookout for the next big challenge that Deus de Guerra’ will have to overcome; Pantoja vs Kape may well be the answer.

Also Read: UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs Volkov- Carlos Diego Ferreira vs Beneil Dariush: Prediction and Analysis

UFC flyweights: Alexandre Pantoja vs Manel Kape

‘The Cannibal’ has been an elite flyweight for a meaningful period. However, he’s suffered some close defeats recently. Pantoja is coming off a unanimous decision defeat to Askar Askarov from his outing back in July 2020. Chiefly, he also has a loss to current champion Deiveson Figueiredo sandwiched in between some impressive wins.

Alexandre Pantoja is a lethal finisher and doesn’t let up once he senses that the finish is within sight. Moreover, he’s able to maintain his pace throughout the fight duration, which leads him to dish out his offense as per his discretion. Studying tape on Manel Kape would have indicated to Pantoja that he’s facing an equally powerful striker.

The 15-4 fighter in Kape hailing from Angola is undefeated in his last three fights, where he earned consecutive T/KO wins. Manel Kape has been a staple of Rizin FF for a meaningful period of time and faced some stiff competition. He’s laced up the gloves against 125-pound greats such as Ian McCall and Kyoji Horiguchi with mixed results.

Bursting into the pocket has never been a problem for the 5’6’’ scrappy flyweight who is solid no matter where the fight goes. ‘Prodigio’ will look to impose his strength inside the octagon for the first time and wait to see its result. There are many intangibles heading into the fight, making it a virtual 50/50 split.

Prediction: Alexandre Pantoja to claim a unanimous decision victory