The final UFC event of the year may have ignited a new UFC flyweight contender in Manel Kape. Kape kept his newfound momentum afloat in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas, finishing former title challenger Brandon Royval with a right hook, followed by a flurry of punches at 3:18 in Round 1.
Kape kept his messaging simple: it’s a title shot or bust next year as he targets newly crowned champion Joshua Van (16-2 MMA).
“Let’s fight in Houston in February, or wherever you want,” Kape said after the fight. “Just sign the contract.”
Kape (22-7 MMA) continued his winning ways with his third straight triumph, while Royval (17-9 MMA) has lost two straight while being two days shy of his two-year anniversary to his lone UFC title fight opposite then-champion Alexandre Pantoja (30-6 MMA).
In the co-headliner, featherweight Kevin Vallejos landed a brutal second-round spinning back fist to send Giga Chikadze to the canvas that eventually resulted in a TKO stoppage at 1:29. Vallejos (17-1 MMA) ran his UFC record to 3-0, while Chikadze (15-6 MMA) has lost three in a row.
The card moved along with middleweight Cezary Oleksiejczuk winning a unanimous decision against Cesar Almeida, taking all three cards by a 30-27 score. Oleksiejczuk (17-3 MMA) has won five in a row, making good on his promotional debut. Contrary to a one-sided performance, Almeida (7-2 MMA) had a two-fight winning streak halted, marking his first loss under the UFC banner.
The card’s momentum began to pick up with a devastating knockout from featherweight Melquizael Costa via a head-kick finish against Morgan Charriere 1:14 into the opening round. Costa (25-7 MMA) extended his winning streak to five, winning four of those fights during the calendar year. Charriere (21-12-1 MMA) had never been knocked out and has lost three of his last five appearances.
The next fight also saw the judges get involved after a well-rounded three- round affair between heavyweights Kennedy Nzechukwu and Marcus Buchecha. Unfortunately for both men, after 15 minutes, a winner wasn’t declared as the judges ruled the bout a 28-28 majority draw. Nzechukwu (14-6-1 MMA) had won two of his last three fights, while Buchecha (5-2-1 MMA) is still searching for his first UFC win after having made his debut in July.
UFC Vegas 112 kicked off a six-fight main card that saw King Green win a split decision against Lance Gibson Jr., earning the victory by claiming two of the judges’ scorecards 29-28, 28-29, 29-28. The fight marked the 53rd MMA appearance for Green (33-17-1 MMA) and capped his 12th year in the UFC. Meanwhile, Gibson (9-2 MMA) was making his debut.
The UFC is off before its 2026 schedule begins with UFC 324 on Jan. 24 in Las Vegas with a championship doubleheader at T-Mobile Arena.
UFC Fight Night: Manel Kape TKOs Brandon Royval, wants title shot
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UFC Fight Night: Manel Kape TKOs Brandon Royval, wants title shot
- Kape kept his messaging simple: it’s a title shot or bust next year as he targets newly crowned champion Joshua Van (16-2 MMA)
Nemkov and Cyborg crowned PFL world champions in Lyon
- Rising stars of MMA on show at landmark event that highlights sport’s global ambitions
- Brazilian veteran Cyborg cements status as one of the greatest fighters in women’s MMA history
LYON: Two new Professional Fighters League world champions were crowned on Saturday night as Vadim Nemkov and Cris Cyborg headlined a landmark PFL Lyon event at the LDLC Arena, which also saw the emergence of Europe’s next wave of MMA talent.
Russia’s Nemkov closed out his 2025 campaign in emphatic fashion, becoming the inaugural PFL Heavyweight World Champion with a first-round submission victory over Brazil’s Renan Ferreira. Nemkov (20-2) secured an arm-triangle choke at the four-minute mark of the opening round, neutralizing the size and power of the Brazilian to firmly establish himself at the top of the heavyweight division heading into 2026.
In the co-main event, Cyborg added another accolade to her decorated career by capturing the PFL Women’s Featherweight World Championship. The Brazilian veteran (29-2, 1 NC) defeated previously unbeaten Sara Collins (6-1) via rear-naked choke in the third round, further cementing her status as one of the greatest fighters in women’s MMA history. Cyborg later indicated that she intends to have one final MMA bout before calling time on her career.
The Lyon crowd was treated to a series of standout performances beyond the title fights. Belgian prospect Patrick Habirora continued his rapid rise with a first-round knockout of Kevin Jousset, preserving his perfect professional record at 8-0. Habirora’s explosive finish sent the arena into celebration and underlined his growing reputation as one of Europe’s most promising young fighters.
France’s Taylor Lapilus delivered a composed and technically polished display to earn a unanimous decision victory over England’s Liam Gittins. Lapilus (23-4) controlled the contest over three rounds, reinforcing his credentials as a leading contender in the PFL bantamweight division.
Two PFL Europe titles were also decided on the night. Aleksandr Chizov claimed the 2025 PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament Championship after stopping Connor Hughes with a third-round knockout, capping a consistent campaign marked by resilience and adaptability. Meanwhile, French bantamweight Baris Adiguzel captured the 2025 PFL Europe Bantamweight Tournament Championship with a first-round TKO victory over Dean Garnett, imposing his aggressive style from the opening bell.
With four champions crowned and several rising stars making statements on a major stage, PFL Lyon marked a significant moment for the organization’s global and European ambitions.
Full results:
Vadim Nemkov def. Renan Ferreira by first-round submission (arm-triangle choke, 4:00)
Cris Cyborg def. Sara Collins by third-round submission (rear-naked choke, 2:55)
Patrick Habirora def. Kevin Jousset by first-round KO (2:42)
Taylor Lapilus def. Liam Gittins by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Baris Adiguzel def. Dean Garnett by first-round TKO (0:44)
Boris Atangana def. Guilherme Soares by second-round submission (rear-naked choke, 2:35)
Aleksandr Chizov def. Connor Hughes by third-round KO (0:50)
Gustavo Oliveira def. Movsar Ibragimov by second-round KO (0:34)
Sabrina de Sousa def. Paulina Wisniewska by split decision
Rayan Balbali def. Levi Batchelor by split decision
