Manel Kape

Manuel Pedro Gomes (born November 14, 1993), better known as Manel Kape, is an Angolan-born Portuguese professional mixed martial artist.

He currently competes in the Flyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

A professional competitor since 2012, he has formerly competed for Cage Fighters, Knock Out Championship, and Rizin Fighting Federation.

He is the former Rizin Bantamweight Champion and the former Knock Out Championship Bantamweight champion.

As of December 5, 2023, he is #6 in the UFC flyweight rankings.

Kape had several boxing matches prior to beginning his mixed martial arts career, all of which occurred before his first MMA fight at the age of 14.

He made his professional debut at 17, fighting with Cage Fighters, at Cage Fighters 2, when he faced Artur Gomes.

Kape won the bout in the first round by way of TKO.

Fighting at Cage Fighters - Challengers Norte 1 he was scheduled to face Renato Ferreira.

He made quick work of his opponent, ending the fight by TKO, after just 45 seconds.

Next he fought Ricardo Teixeira, earning his first submission win, ending the fight in the first round with a rear naked choke.

His last fight with Cage Fighters was at Cage Fighters 3, when he fought Marco Santos.

He won the fight with a unanimous decision.

Moving to Knock Out Championship he fought Souksavanh Khampasath.

He would suffer his first professional loss, losing through a rear naked choke.

Recouping, he fought Hicham Rachid at Invictus 1, and won the fight with a flying knee to the body.

He next fought at Ansgar Fighting League 2, against Daniel Barez.

He beat Barez through a verbal tapout, forced by a tight armbar cinched by Kape.

Returning to the second Invictus event, Kape faced Miguel Valverde.

He won the fight with a rear naked choke in the first round.

He was then scheduled to fight Antoine Gallinaro.

Kape won the fight in the fourth round through an armbar, which earned him the KOC Bantamweight title.

Kape continued his winning streak by beating Francisco Javier Asprilla by way of a third-round TKO.

Kape was scheduled to fight Damien ‘The Rage’ Rooney at BAMMA 22 in the 3Arena in Dublin.

Kape would later pull out of the bout.

Kape was then set to fight against the Brazilian João Elias, but the fight would likewise be cancelled.

Manel Kape was scheduled to fight at Knock Out Championship 9 against Moktar Benkaci for the KOC bantamweight championship.

This would be the third consecutive fight that fizzled out for Manel Kape.

Following a two-year hiatus, due to the three canceled bouts, Kape would sign with Rizin Fighting Federation and was set to take part in the Rizin bantamweight Grand Prix.

He made his debut at Rizin 6 when he faced Erson Yamamoto.

Yamamoto was confused by Kape's trash-talk during the fight, as he allegedly said "[your] mom just lost and [you] are next", since Erson's mother had lost earlier in the evening.

Kape would go on to win the fight after just 71 seconds with a left leg head kick KO, although the stoppage was considered early by many observers.

In the second round of the Grand Prix, Kape was scheduled to fight the former Tachi Palace flyweight champion Ian McCall.

The two got into a physical altercation at the weigh-ins, with Kape slapping McCall and McCall responding with a strike to the face of Kape.

The two had to be separated by the officials present.

Kape would win the fight by Doctor Stoppage TKO in the second minute of the first round, after the ringside doctors stopped the fight due to a cut.

In the Grand Prix semifinals he fought one of the world's best bantamweights in Kyoji Horiguchi.

Although Kape gave his opponent a competitive fight, he would lose the bout in the third round, after Horiguchi locked in an arm triangle choke.

Kape was scheduled to fight Kai Asakura Rizin 10.

He would lose a split decision, in a close and exciting fight, which would be nominated as the Fight of the Month by MMA Junkie.