9 Failed Fights: UFC Fighter Withdraws From Fight Night Main Event

Another disappointment for this promising fighter.

Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports

Manel Kape is out of his April 27 main event against Matheus Nicolau.

'Starboy' admitted in an Instagram post that he had broken the cartilage of his rib, undergoing surgery on March 27. The cancellation marks Kape's ninth cancelled UFC fight since 2020, he has only fought six times under the promotion.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by マネル・ケイプ موسى Manel StarBoy Kape (@manelkape)

"This is the first time I’ve ever pull out of a fight," Kape wrote. "I broke the cartilage of my rib and I couldn’t move for a week. On Thursday last week my surgery went extremely well. Bare in mind that all my fights that got cancelled in the past was due to my opponents. Where I came from we used to fight for free, I’m not bragging about I’m just being honest so don’t ever think I’m like some of you guys. ALLAH IS THE GREAT."

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Though Kape's caption is technically true as this is his first withdrawal, the Angolan fighter has been indirectly responsible for two other cancellations: Once for a positive drug test against Sumudaerji in 2022, and again for missing weight against Nicolau in January 2024.

In light of his bad luck with opponent pullouts, there's an irony in his injury considering the UFC appeared to be giving him a shot at the flyweight top-five despite so many cancellations.

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