UFC flyweight contenders Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape are set to face off at UFC 304 in Manchester. The highly anticipated fight card has already seen tensions rise between the two fighters, who couldn’t wait until Saturday night to engage. Just a day before their scheduled fight, a video surfaced showing a full-fledged altercation between the two MMA stars in a hotel lobby. The incident, with its unknown cause, has quickly captured the attention of MMA fans.

One of the witnesses to the incident, renowned MMA coach Eric Nicksick, recently explained to MMA Junkie what exactly happened in the hotel lobby. According to Nicksick, the fight started when Muhammad Mokaev was exiting the hotel and offered Manel Kape a chance to take a picture for peace. Nicksick revealed, “They[Mokaev] team were very peaceful, and Mokaev offered to take a picture with Manel Kape. He said, “For our Muslim brothers, let’s take a picture for peace,” and Manel agreed.

However, Nicksick noted that the whole situation felt strange. He continued, “It just felt weird; the whole situation felt weird. But I tried to talk to Oban Elliot, and then all of a sudden, when Manel posed for the picture, he sucker-punched him.”

Eric Nicksick further emphasized the seriousness of the incident, warning that it could potentially jeopardize both fighters’ careers. However, this isn’t the first time news of an altercation between Manel Kape and Muhammad Mokaev has surfaced. Previously, UFC fighter Jean Silva claimed to have witnessed a brawl between the two at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas. Kape later dismissed Silva’s claims as fabricated story to hype up their fight.

Manel Kape Denies Jean Silva’s Claims

Earlier this month, Jean Silva claimed to have witnessed an incident between Manel Kape and Muhammad Mokaev at the UFC PI in Las Vegas. According to Silva, Kape elbowed Mokaev in the head, causing a severe injury. However, Kape vehemently denied the allegations, labeling them a fabricated story spread by his Brazilian friend. Kape emphasized that he trains in Las Vegas year-round, while Mokaev only visits during fight weeks, making Silva’s account untrue.

Manel Kape further provided arguments to convince everyone that the news of their altercation outside the UFC Performance Institute was fake, calling it a stunt by Jean Silva to sell the fight. He stated, “Mokaev is in Dagestan or England, and I’m in Vegas. We did not have any fight. People like to buy this fan story. This is the story. By the way, Jean is a good promoter. He’s a good seller at the end of the day. This makes the fight more exciting.”

What are your thoughts on the recent altercation between Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape? Does it seem genuine to you, or is it just a fabricated story to hype up their fight at UFC 304, similar to the claims made earlier this month? Let us know in the comments below.