Former Rizin Champion Kape Joins The UFC

The UFC has signed another former champion to a multi-fight deal.

Combate was the first to report that Manel Kape will be moving on from Rizin and will enter the octagon. Training camp AKA Thailand posted the news onto social media when it became official.

Breaking!!! @AKAThailand’s @ManelKape signs 4-fight deal with the @UFC!!https://t.co/fjjrqKrClB

— AKA Thailand (@AKAThailand) March 30, 2020

Starting his pro career in 2012, Kape has fought for Cage Fighting, Knock Out Championship and Invictus. The 26-year-old has nine wins via knockout. Joining Rizin in 2017, he beat Erson Yamamoto in his debut. “Prodigio” then beat Ian McCall in the second round of the Bantamweight Grand Prix for Rizin. One of the highlights was the aggressiveness of the lead-up to the fight.

Kape then lost two in a row to Kyoji Horiguchi (the finals) and Kai Asakura. Since then, he is 4-1, his last three fights propelling him to become Rizin Bantamweight Champion. Back on New Year’s Eve at Rizin 20, Kape beat Kai Asakura via TKO to become champion.

Joining a bantamweight division that includes champion Henry Cejudo, Kape must now prove himself in a crowded division full of contenders.