Manel Kape and Matheus Nicolau will run it back again, this time in a UFC Fight Night headliner.
The pair were previously booked for a rematch in January, and made it as far as an official faceoff, but the fight was scrapped after Kape (19-6 MMA, 4-2 UFC) missed the flyweight limit by 3.5 pounds. Nicolau (19-4-1 MMA, 7-2) made weight and initially agreed to accept a percentage of Kape’s purse, but the fight did not proceed.
Now the flyweight contenders are set to meet again in the main event on April 27 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. MMA Junkie confirmed the news with two sources with knowledge of the matchup following a first report from MMA Mania.
Kape, 30, said an illness and antibiotics use led to the weight miss in January. In his statement on Instagram, he said he offered his entire purse to save the fight, but to no avail. “Starboy” has won four consecutive fights, with six cancelations occurring during that stretch.
Nicolau was the last fighter to defeat Kape, winning a split decision in March 2021. He will look to rebound from a loss to former title challenger Brandon Royval. Before that setback, the 31-year-old flyweight won six straight contests.
With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup on April 27 includes:
- Matheus Nicolau vs. Manel Kape
- Ariane Lipski vs. Karine Silva
- Joel Alvarez vs. Mateusz Rebecki
- Jhonata Diniz vs. Austen Lane
- Gabriel Benitez vs. Hayisaer Maheshate
- Michal Figlak vs. Austin Hubbard
- Caio Machado vs. Don’Tale Mayes
- Gabe Green vs. James Llontop
- Liang Na vs. Ivana Petrovic
