UFC Fight Night 184 results: Alexandre Pantoja spoils debut of Manel Kape, earns unanimous decision nod

Former RIZIN bantamweight champion Manel Kape was unsuccessful in his UFC debut.

[autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] played the role of spoiler at UFC Fight Night 184.

The No. 5 flyweight in the UFC’s rankings, Pantoja (23-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) rudely welcomed [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag] to the promotion by handing the debuting former RIZIN bantamweight champion a unanimous decision loss (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).

The flyweight bout was part of the UFC Fight Night 184 main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It streamed on ESPN+.

For the majority of three rounds, Pantoja found success in both the quality and quantity of his striking attack. His kicks and footwork, especially in Round 2, were one of a series of difference-makers in picking apart Portugal’s Kape.

Kape (15-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) remained seemingly calm for the duration of the three rounds as he taunted from time to time and even attempted a handstand kick. As the fight progressed, Kape found his rhythm. However, the clock was not on his side. The final two minutes of the fight were perhaps Kape’s best, but his success wasn’t enough to get him the nod from the judges.

Pantoja’s win bumps him up to 2-1 in his most recent three fights. Prior to a loss to Askar Askarov, Pantoja knocked out Matt Schnell. In his UFC tenure, Pantoja has only suffered losses to Askarov, Dustin Ortiz, and UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo.

For Kape, the loss snaps a three-fight winning streak. Kape entered the UFC as a RIZIN bantamweight champion when he signed with the promotion in early 2020. Thrice Kape was booked for his promotional debut before it came to fruition.

At UFC 256 in December, Kape served as a backup fighter for the UFC flyweight title fight between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno at UFC 256 in December.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 184 results include:

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