UFC Fight Night Predictions: Odds and Start Time for Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape in Las Vegas
A pair of flyweights conclude the year for UFC at the Apex on Saturday night.
Brandon Royval and Manel Kape are vying for the next chance at UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van. This matchup serves as a critical audition, coinciding with UFC’s transition to Paramount+.
Fight Preview
Royval (17-8) is an enthralling flyweight contender, holding the record for the most Fight of the Night bonuses in the division’s history. He recently suffered a loss to Van, a strong contender for Fight of the Year. “Raw Dog” strives to be more strategic while also testing Kape’s resilience in a tough fight.
“It depends on how I show up. I want to be smart and tactical, but my gut feeling is to put Manel Kape in a fight and see what the f– is up with him,” Royval stated.
His opponent, Kape (21-7), cautions against an all-out brawl, noting he’s just one knockout away from tying the divisional record for finishes. With a better striking accuracy than Royval, Kape aims to secure a title shot with a victory.
“I’ve been [studying] Brandon Royval a lot. To me, it’s like I’m fighting someone familiar,” Kape said. “I’ll be very comfortable on Saturday night.”
Viewing Information
Date: December 12
Start Time: 10 p.m. ET
Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas
TV Channel: ESPN2 | Stream: Fubo
Fight Card & Odds
| Favorite | Underdog | Weightclass |
|---|---|---|
| Manel Kape -140 | Brandon Royval +100 | Flyweight |
| Kevin Vallejos -340 | Giga Chikadze +270 | Featherweight |
| Cezary Oleksiejczuk -205 | Cesar Almeida +170 | Middleweight |
| Melquizael Costa -125 | Morgan Charriere +105 | Featherweight |
| Kennedy Nzechukwu -192 | Marcus Buchecha +110 | Heavyweight |
| King Green -192 | Lance Gibson Jr. +160 | 160-pound catchweight |
Pick: Kape via KO3
