Manel Kape misses weight; UFC Fight Night bout with Nicolau scrapped

Rising flyweight contender Manel Kape was the only athlete to miss weight Friday ahead of UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2.

Kape stepped onto the scale at 129.5 pounds, 3.5 pounds above the flyweight limit of 126 pounds for non-title bouts. The 30-year-old was scheduled to face Matheus Nicolau in Saturday’s co-main event but not long after the fighters squared off for an official stare down the bout was removed from the card.

This is not the first time Kape has missed the mark while competing in the weight class. Kape, who’s riding a four-fight winning streak, weighed 129 pounds before his UFC 265 bout with Ode' Osbourne in 2021. Kape forfeited 20 per cent of his purse ahead of that fight and ended up beating his opponent with a flying knee knockout.

Nicolau, who weighed in at an even 126 pounds on Friday, won a split decision over Kape when they met nearly three years ago.

It was initially reported Kape would be fined 25 per cent of his total fight purse and the bout would continue, however UFC officials later confirmed the fight was being removed from the card entirely.

All 23 other fighters originally scheduled to compete at Saturday’s event successfully made weight. It was not immediately clear which preliminary bout would be bumped to the main card.

Below are the official weigh-ins results for UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev, Walker 2:

MAIN CARD

-- Magomed Ankalaev (204.5) vs. Johnny Walker (205.5)

-- Matheus Nicolau (126) vs. Manel Kape (129.5*)

-- Jim Miller (155.5) vs. Gabriel Benitez (155)

-- Ricky Simon (136) vs. Mario Bautista (135.5)

-- Phil Hawes (185) vs. Brunno Ferreira (185)

PRELIMINARY CARD

-- Andrei Arlovski (247) vs. Waldo Cortes Acosta (261.5)

-- Matthew Semelsberger (170.5) vs. Preston Parsons (170.5)

-- Marcus McGhee (135.5) vs. Gaston Bolanos (135.5)

-- Farid Basharat (136) vs. Taylor Lapilus (136)

-- Westin Wilson (145.5) vs. Jean Silva (145.5)

-- Nikolas Motta (155.5) vs. Tom Nolan (155)

-- Joshua Van (125.5) vs. Felipe Bunes (125.5)

*missed weight; bout cancelled