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)
US invests in counter-drone tech to protect FIFA World Cup venues
The US will invest $115 million in counter-drone measures to bolster security around the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday, the latest sign of governments stepping up drone defenses.
The FIFA World Cup will be a major test of President Donald Trump’s pledge to keep the US secure, with over a million travelers expected to visit for the tournament and billions more watching matches from overseas.
The threat of drone attacks has become a growing concern since the war in Ukraine has demonstrated their lethal capabilities. And recent drone incidents have worried both European and US airports.
“We are entering a new era to defend our air superiority to protect our borders and the interior of the United States,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. Defense companies are developing a range of technologies aimed at countering drones, including tracking software, lasers, microwaves and autonomous machine guns.
The DHS did not specify which technologies it would deploy to World Cup venues. The announcement comes weeks after the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which sits under DHS, said it granted $250 million to 11 states hosting World Cup matches to buy counter-drone technologies.
Last summer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, called on Trump, a Republican, to bolster federal support for defending against drone attacks.
