Tomorrow night we are going to see a potential flyweight title eliminator on the early prelims of UFC 304. Truly a head scratching placement on the card for one of the more intriguing matchups on the card. A lot of bad blood in this one as top flyweight contenders Manel Kape (19-6) and Muhammad Mokaev (11-0) go head-to-head.
Given the current state of the flyweight division, the winner of this matchup could easily be the next challenger for Alexandre Pantoja. Starting with Mokaev, he will look to remain unbeaten in his professional career.
He made his UFC debut back in 2022 and thus far he is a perfect 6-0 inside the octagon. Most recently, he defeated Alex Perez by decision back in March. A win over Manel Kape would certify him as a top contender for the title.
However, getting that win is not going to be easy. Manel Kape had a ton of hype when he entered the UFC as the former RIZIN flyweight champion. However, he lost his first two fights with his debut being against the current champion.
Since then, he’s 4-0 and has looked sensational. Kape’s biggest problem has been activity. Kape has only fought once since the start of 2023 and he’s had a total of seven fights cancelled. He needs a win tomorrow and he needs to stay active.
UFC 304 Prediction
This fight is going to ultimately come down to where it takes place. Muhammad Mokaev does not want to stand with Manel Kape. Kape is significantly faster and more powerful on the feet. Kape is one of the more dynamic and exciting strikers in the division.
Meanwhile, Mokaev is one of the more suffocating wrestlers in the division. Mokaev didn’t look great against Alex Perez and his cardio didn’t look great either. He still go the win but he blamed staff infection for the poor performance. He’s going to need to be sharp and his cardio needs to be good against Kape at UFC 304.
I’ve gone back-and-forth on this one and the odds are accurate in how close this is. I’m going to go with Mokaev in this one but I don’t feel great about the pick. I think his wrestling will be the story in this one and even if he doesn’t get Kape down all the time, I think the threat of the takedown will make Kape more tentative than usual. Plus, being in the UK for UFC 304, if the decision is close, I’d bet on the hometown Mokaev getting the nod.
Prediction: Muhammad Mokaev by Decision