Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape tried all fight week to get at one another. When finally given the chance Saturday at UFC 304, there was far less willingness to engage.
The flyweight bout was part of the UFC 304 preliminary card at Co-op Live in Manchester, England, and was one of the most anticipated fights on the card, despite it’s demoted placement.
Mokaev (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) defeated Kape (19-6 MMA, 4-2 UFC) by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).
An adversarial build-up stemmed from an altercation the two allegedly engaged in at the UFC Performance Institute. Things got physical and the hotel during fight week, and then both fighters were restrained at ceremonial weigh-ins. Even in the minutes prior to Saturday’s fight, the blood bad was still real as Kape and Mokaev were restrained by an elevated number of security guards who were assigned to the cage for the introductions.
Extra security was in the Octagon ahead of Manel Kape-Muhammad Mokaev fight #UFC304 pic.twitter.com/8pHce96Pa6
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 28, 2024
But when it came time for blows to be allowed, the two flyweight contenders were less willing. The first round was largely a staring contest and received a warning from referee Mike Beltran for timidity.
Round 2 was more eventful, but it was less about the action and more about the oddities. Kape suffered a toe injury midway through the frame that caused him to hobble throughout the remainder of the bout. After a takedown by Mokaev, things got heated again – though this time it was between Mokaev and Beltran.
Mokaev got a fistful of Kape’s shorts and nearly removed them all together. The maneuver infuriated Beltran, who called timeout and yelled at Mokaev. Despite the scolding, Beltran did not take a point.
Kape’s toe was examined before the third round, but the physician gave his blessing and the fight continued. Mokaev cruised to a unanimous decision victory, even sweeping all three rounds on one judge’s scorecard.
Muhammad Mokaev was given a warning for pulling on Manel Kape’s shorts #UFC304 pic.twitter.com/IA34JNy9hU
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 28, 2024
After the win, Mokaev and Kape embraced. Mokaev called for a title shot. The victory was his seventh in the promotion. Four of those victories came by submission. The other three were by decision.
On the flip side of the equation, Kape has a four-fight winning streak snapped.
Up-to-the-minute UFC 304 results include:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.
