A huge top-10 fight in the Flyweight division has just been announced between Kai Kara-France and Manel Kape. The two will face each other at UFC 293 in Sydney, Australia, per Brett Okamoto.
This fight takes place in the Flyweight (125 lbs) division.
Kai Kara-France holds a professional record of 24-11 (7-4 UFC) and is ranked #5 in the Flyweight division. He holds credible wins over Askar Askarov, Cody Garbrandt, and Rogério Bontorin.
Manel Kape is ranked #9 at Flyweight and claims a professional record of 18-6 (3-2 UFC), with notable wins over David Dvorak, Zhalgas Zhumagulov, and Ode Osborne.
Official odds have yet to be released.
Kai Kara-France is coming off a highly controversial split decision loss to Amir Albazi in his first UFC main event. After two close opening rounds that most people agreed went to Kara-France, he would only decisively lose the third round, and despite clearly winning rounds 4 and 5, would not be given the decision. Despite this loss, he showcased his dangerous and technical striking vs. Albazi and his elite takedown defense. In his next bout, he'll be looking to get back in the win column against Kape.
Manel Kape has had an unlucky string of cancellations in the last year. Since 2022, he's had five bouts booked and only completed one against David Dvorak, who Kape dominated over three rounds. His bouts with top contenders Alex Perez and Deiveson Figueiredo both fell out because of his opponents, leaving Kape inactive since December. In his bout vs. Kara-France, he'll be looking to use his elite striking to secure the biggest victory of his career.
This is a must-see matchup in the Flyweight division. Who do you have winning? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your prediction in the comments below.