Manel Kape
Active 2021–present · rated in 3 editions · peak overall 83.0
Scouting report
Manel "StarBoy" Kape entered the UFC as a former RIZIN champion. Born in Luanda, Angola and fighting out of Porto, Portugal, he relies on head movement, flying knees, and knockout finishes. His 88 Boxing and 88 Cardio ratings support an 83 Overall score.
Peak ratings
By edition
Kape dropped decisions to Alexandre Pantoja and Matheus Nicolau in early 2021, then rebounded with first-round knockouts of Ode Osbourne via flying knee and Zhalgas Zhumagulov at UFC on ESPN 31 in Las Vegas. His hand speed and striking are reflected in an 86 Boxing and 84 Kickboxing score.
Kape won decisions over David Dvorak and Felipe dos Santos, the latter at UFC 293 in Sydney in 2023. In July 2024 at UFC 304 in Manchester, he dropped a decision to Muhammad Mokaev. His striking arsenal is reflected in an 88 Boxing and 86 Kickboxing.
Manel Kape and the Angolan-Portuguese striker who learned his trade in boxing rings
Manel Kape had several boxing matches before his first MMA fight at fourteen, and turned professional at 17 with Cage Fighters in Portugal, opening with a first-round TKO of Artur Gomes. He won the Knock Out Championship bantamweight belt with a fourth-round armbar of Antoine Gallinaro, then joined Rizin in Japan, where he became bantamweight champion. He arrived in the flyweight division as a finisher with a loud personality.
How Kape's ratings break down
Boxing. Tied for his highest mark at 88. He knocked out Ode' Osbourne with a flying knee and follow-up punches in 2021 and stopped Brandon Royval in round one in December 2025.
Kickboxing. Just behind boxing at 88. A head kick and punch finished Erson Yamamoto in 71 seconds in the 2017 Rizin bantamweight Grand Prix, and a body kick with punches ended Bruno Gustavo da Silva in 2024.
Wrestling. A middle number at 78. His finishes in the big promotion have come by strikes.
BJJ. Higher than you would guess for a striker, at 80. The Knock Out Championship title came from a fourth-round armbar of Antoine Gallinaro.
Strength. The low point at 75, his only mark below 78.
Durability. Rated 85. He lost to Kyoji Horiguchi by arm-triangle choke in round three of the 2017 Grand Prix semifinal, and lost a split decision to Kai Asakura in 2018.
Cardio. Tied for his top number at 88. He was still finishing in round three against Bruno Gustavo da Silva and Asu Almabayev.
Fight IQ. Rated 84. He beat Yamamoto and Ian McCall in the 2017 Rizin bantamweight Grand Prix to reach the semifinals, and he later avenged the Asakura loss with a title-winning TKO.
Two ratings tie at the top: boxing and cardio
Boxing and cardio both read 88 at his peak, so the case for him is a fast, accurate striker who does not fade. The Asakura rematch for the vacant Rizin belt ended in the second round after a barrage of punches, and he was still stopping opponents in round three of fights in 2024 and 2025. He is an easy fit next to a wrestler who wants someone else to do the finishing.
No size advantage to lean on: Strength
Strength is his lowest rating at 75, well below his 88 in boxing. Muhammad Mokaev beat him by unanimous decision in 2024, and Matheus Nicolau took a split decision in 2021 even though 21 out of 21 media outlets scored that fight for Kape.
Keep exploring
Closest flyweight profiles to Manel Kape, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Kyoji Horiguchibest cardio 90 · weakest strength 73
- Steve Ercegbest cardio 88 · weakest strength 74
- Kai Kara-Francebest boxing 89 · weakest bjj 72
- Sergio Pettisbest cardio 88 · weakest strength 70
- Flyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Manel Kape's strongest attribute, Boxing.
Draft Manel Kape into your build
Manel Kape enters the pool on any spin landing on flyweight between 2020 and present. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Manel Kape is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Manel Kape's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.