Tomorrow on the main card of UFC San Antonio, we are going to see a battle of top flyweight contenders. Former title challenger Alex Perez (24-7) will be taking on top contender Manel Kape (18-6).
In a flyweight division that has been finally freed up from the rivalry between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno, this is a huge matchup for the division. Alex Perez has only fought once since his failed title shot against Figgy back in 2020 where he was submitted in the first round.
That most recent fight came against future title challenger Alexandre Pantoja and once again, Perez was finished in the first round. He’s looking to get back to the level he was when he earned his title shot just a few years ago.
Manel Kape had a lot of hype behind him when he came over to the UFC from RIZIN. Unfortunately, he dropped his first two fights. However, since then he’s won three straight and he’s looking for his biggest win tomorrow night against Perez.
UFC San Antonio Prediction
When it comes to this matchup, I think you’re going to see Alex Perez look to utilize his wrestling. Manel Kape is very explosive and has a good amount of power that Perez will want to stay away from. I’m expecting a more cautious Perez as well considering the way his last couple of fights have been.
If Perez can time his takedown attempts properly, he could frustrate Kape. However, I think Kape is going to have his takedown defense on point tomorrow night. I believe he’ll land the bigger shots and that will ultiamtely lead to him pulling away on the scorecards.
Alex Perez was once a top contender, but we feel so far removed from that point. I’ll have a hard time picking him against top competition until I see the same guy we saw a few years ago. I like Kape in this matchup. Not sure if he’ll get the finish, but I think he’ll have two rounds by a wide margin.
Prediction: Manel Kape by Decision