UFC Fight Night 253 was initially a highly anticipated flyweight title eliminator between Brandon Royval and Manel Kape. However, a few weeks before, Royval had to withdraw from the fight due to an undisclosed injury.
Royval posted this announcement on his Instagram account.
“Unfortunately, I’m going to have to pull out of my fight; I’m sorry to Manel Kape and my fans. I’m facing an injury that has me questioning when I’ll be able to train again. This is a fight I think needs to happen for the flyweight division, but as of right now, the month of competing has been ill-advised. Love y’all, and I apologise from the bottom of my heart.”
Two weeks ago, it was announced that Asu Almabayev would be replacing him for the main event. He was also originally scheduled to fight Steve Erceg, and since he would be in the same event anyway, the UFC matchmakers and officials immediately considered him.
On top of that, Almabayev is not far off from Kape’s standing in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings. Kape is at the tenth spot at 125 pounds, while Almabayev is just four spots away at number 14. So, there’s no doubt that he’s in good form and ready to compete against Kape.
Main Event Breakdown: Kape vs Almabayev
Manel “Starboy” Kape was born in Angola and is representing Portugal. Here’s an overview of his current profile:
- Record: 20-7-0
- Height: 5’6″ (167.64 cm)
- Weight: 125 lbs (56.7 kg)
- Reach: 68 inches
- Stance: Southpaw
- Team: Xtreme Couture
Kape is known for his fast hands, powerful kicks, and excellent combinations. He also has good takedown defence, which allows him to keep the fight standing where he has the advantage. However, his aggressive style can sometimes leave him open to counters, and he’s been caught in submissions before.
Hailing from Kazakhstan, Asu “Zulfikar” Almabayev is a well-rounded fighter with a strong grappling background.
- Record: 21-2-0
- Height: 5’4″ (163 cm)
- Weight: 125 lbs (57 kg)
- Reach: 65 inches
- Stance: Orthodox
- Team: DAR Pro Team
Almabayev has 9 wins by submission and 3 by knockout. Wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills make him a dangerous opponent and very qualified to take on fighters like Kape. He has a takedown accuracy of 33% and a striking accuracy of 59%, so his control is also impressive.
In the cage, these two are set to deliver a thrilling fight. Kape will look to keep the fight standing and use his superior striking accuracy to land significant blows. Almabayev, while not as powerful a striker, has a solid striking defence and can hold his own in stand-up exchanges.
Almabayev will likely aim to take the fight to the ground, where he can utilise his wrestling and submission skills. So, Kape’s takedown defence will be crucial in preventing him from controlling the fight on the mat.
Both fighters have shown excellent cardio and durability in their previous bouts. Kape’s average fight time is 11:58 minutes, while Almabayev has demonstrated the ability to go the distance in high-paced fights in the past.
Another factor is that Almabayev will come into the fight on short notice. He was, after all, preparing to fight Erceg, who is mainly known for his grappling skills (which are a lot similar to his skills). So, since he’s going against Kape now, he’ll have to focus more on his striking defence.
You can visit the 10CRIC official online betting site for the latest odds on the UFC Fight Night 253 main event between Manel Kape and Asu Almabayev. But in the meantime, this is the latest best betting odds based on Oddschecker:
- Manel Kape: -225 (favorite)
- Asu Almabayev: +200 (underdog)
More Predictions and Potential Outcomes for UFC Fight Night 253
Here are the other main card matches for UFC 253 and the latest odds:
- Middleweight: Cody Brundage (+150) vs Julian Marquez (-175)
- Lightweight: Nasrat Haqparast (-200) vs Esteban Ribovics (+170)
- Heavyweight: Austen Lane (+130) vs Mario Pinto (-150)
- Featherweight: Hyder Amil (+140) vs William Gomis (-160)
Where and When to Watch UFC Fight Night 253
The UFC Fight Night 253 will be on March 1, 2025, at the UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada.
Fans in the United States can catch the action on ESPN and ESPN+, with the main card starting at 10:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM PT. The event will be broadcast in the United Kingdom on BT Sport 1, starting at 3:00 AM GMT (Sunday, February 24).