On the opening night of this year’s NFL Playoffs, not everybody will be watching football. To that extent, not everybody can watch football that first night of the postseason.
Fear not, MMA‘s top promotion, the UFC, is back in action for the first time in 2024 on Saturday afternoon and evening, when Dana White‘s company holds its first card of the new year, UFC Vegas 84 from the UFC Apex facility. Live coverage of the first UFC Fight Night of the year begins at 4 pm ET/ 1 pm PT with the prelims, followed at 7 pm ET/ 4 pm PT with the main card on ESPN+.
Flyweights Do Battle in UFC Vegas 84 Co-Main Event
All told, barring any postponements on the card between now and Saturday night, the final version of UFC Vegas 84 features a full 12-fight slate. There are two intriguing ranked bouts at the top of the bill, starting with the UFC Vegas 84 co-main event of the evening.
Your co-headliner takes place in the flyweight division where No. 5 contender Matheus Nicolau (19-4-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC) takes on No. 6 contender Manel Kape (19-6 MMA, 4-2 UFC) in a fight that sees its winner take the next step toward a shot at a flyweight championship down the road. This contest is an advertised maximum of three rounds at five minutes per round.
Saturday’s UFC Vegas 84 co-main event between Nicolau and Kape is a rematch of a fight between the two that took place in March of 2021 at the Apex. That night, Nicolau took a split decision following three rounds. How will the fight play out the second time around?
He's putting his 4 fight win streak on the line this Saturday 👀@ManelKape vs Matheus Nicolau is happening at #UFCVegas84! pic.twitter.com/O7HvWRHjLk
— UFC (@ufc) January 9, 2024
UFC Vegas 84 Co-Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds
Heading into the UFC Vegas 84 co-main event on Saturday night, Matheus Nicolau stands as the taller contender at 5-foot-6, compared to the 5-foot-5 frame of Manel Kape. The latter owns a two-inch reach advantage (68 inches to 66 inches) and a one-inch leg reach advantage (39 inches to 38 inches) over the former ahead of this fight.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the oddsmakers have Manel Kape installed as a -250 betting favorite on the money line, with Matheus Nicolau countering as a +200 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend, please wager responsibly.
Matheus Nicolau Seeks to Return to Win Column in UFC Vegas 84 Co-Main Event
Matheus Nicolau comes into Saturday night’s fight having posted a record of 4-1 over his last five fights. Most recently, he saw his four-fight winning streak snapped at the hands of Brandon Royval (15-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) during UFC Kansas City on April 15.
Prior to the defeat by way of first-round knockout, Nicolau had told the press to expect a finish of Royval ahead of round three that spring weekend. This is a man who briefly found himself out of the UFC five years ago when Dana White was mulling a permanent removal of the men’s flyweight division.
Thankfully for Nicolau, the 125-lb. class is still active and he’s in his second stint with the promotion. Will he find himself in the top-5 on Monday morning after a win in the UFC Vegas 84 co-main event on Saturday night?
Manel Kape Hopeful for Normal Schedule in 2024
In the other corner, Manel Kape enters the UFC Vegas 84 co-main event with a 4-1 record of his own in the last five fights. Currently, he’s on a four-fight winning streak, one which was extended last time out thanks to a unanimous decision victory against Felipe dos Santos (7-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) during UFC 293 on Sept. 9. This was the lone fight for Kape in an otherwise quiet 2023.
Postponements were the order of the day for him last year, and have been for some time. Out of four possible fights booked during 2023, Kape saw three postponed, including an earlier meeting on Sept. 9 against Kai Kara-France at UFC 293.
Dating back to April of 2022, he’s had five scheduled fights out of seven cancelled. When a fighter is rising through the ranks, it’s never good to have a rash of postponements next to his name, as each cancellation yields more lost time and ring rust. Will the UFC Vegas 84 co-main event lead to a regular itinerary this year?
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
Stylistically, the UFC Vegas 84 co-main event looks to favor Matheus Nicolau, a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, compared to Manel Kape’s background as a boxer.
Look For Nicolau to Go to the Mat
Given that Matheus Nicolau is a black belt in BJJ, one might surmise that he’ll try to hunt for a submission on Saturday. If he takes Manel Kape down like he took Bruno Korea down in 2015, it could be a thing of beauty.
During the third and final round, Nicolau caught a flying knee and knocked Korea down with an overhanded punch before immediately softening him up with ground and pound shots. As the round progressed, Nicolau took top mount and squeezed on Korea to lock up a Japanese necktie with a minute and a half to go.
Matheus Nicolau has this fight won on Saturday. All he needs to do is drop Manel Kape. This is, however, something that’s easier said than done.
Manel Kape Can End The Show Quickly
In the other corner, you’re advised not to look away from your screen while Manel Kape is in the cage. Getting something from the fridge is strongly discouraged, as well, because he’s got one-punch power.
One need look no further than his rematch vs. Kai Asukara at RIZIN 20. Right after the command to fight was given in round two, Kape started teeing off with a barrage of strikes, knocking Asukara down.
Smelling blood in the water, Kape moved in on Asukara and continued the onslaught with ground and pound shots. The referee had no choice but to wave the fight off after just 37 seconds had elapsed from the second-round clock. If Kape fires off one punch square and true, it’s a wrap in the UFC Vegas 84 co-main event.
Final Thoughts
Even though it’s only a three-round affair, expect both fighters in the UFC Vegas 84 co-main event to treat this one as a headliner. Why wouldn’t they? The stakes are high for the winner.
Prediction: Matheus Nicolau by Unanimous Decision.
