No. 6 Manel “Starboy” Kape takes on No. 8 Asu Almabayev in his first UFC Main Event on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kape is 5-3 in the promotion but has won five of his previous six fights. He was initially supposed to face Brandon Royval, but after he got injured, the rising star Almabayev took his spot.
Kape, 31, is an incredible finisher, having scored 17 of them in his 20 MMA wins. The last time he fought, Kape knocked out Bruno Silva in the third round in December 2024. Kape trains at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, so this is a fight near his current home. “Kape”Starboy” is Eric Nicksick’s latest contender inching closer to a UFC title shot. With an impressive victory against Almabayev, a chance at UFC gold could be in his near future. Kape is the favorite in this bout at -218 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
But Kape is not just facing anyone on short notice; he is fighting the undefeated pride of Kazakhstan, Almabayev. He is 21-2 in his MMA career but has won 17 straight fights and hasn’t suffered a defeat since April 2017. Almabayev is 4-0 in the UFC and recently beat his most accomplished opponent, Matheus Nicolau, in October 2024. When the fight goes to the ground, Almabayev dominates his opponents. He has a 50 percent takedown rate while covering over five takedowns in 15 minutes.
Will Kape prove he is a “Starboy” and a future title challenger, or can Almabayev continue his unbeaten streak? The Prelims begin at 4:30 p.m. ET, while the Main Card starts at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+. Check out the entire card, 11-fight card below.
Main Card | 7:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+
| Matchup: | Records: | Weight Class: | Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook: |
| #6 Manel Kape vs. #8 Asu Almabayev Main Event | 20-7 (5-3 UFC) vs. 21-2 (4-0 UFC) | Flyweight | -218 vs. +180 |
| Cody Brundage vs. Julian Marquez | 10-6 (4-5 UFC) vs. 9-5 (3-4 UFC) | Middleweight | +102 vs. -122 |
| Nasrat Haqparast vs. Esteban Ribovics | 17-5 (9-4 UFC) vs. 14-1 (3-1 UFC) | Lightweight | +210 vs. -258 |
| Hyder Amil vs. William Gomis | 10-0 (2-0 UFC) vs. 14-2 (4-0 UFC) | Featherweight | +170 vs. -205 |
| Danny Barlow vs. Sam Patterson | 9-0 (2-0 UFC) vs. 12-2-1 (2-1 UFC) | Welterweight | -305 vs. +245 |
Prelims | 4:30 p.m. ET | ESPN+
| Matchup: | Records: | Weight Class: | Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook: |
| Austen Lane vs. Mario Pinto | 13-5 (1-2 UFC) vs. 9-0 | Heavyweight | +410 vs. -550 |
| Ricardo Ramos vs. Chepe Mariscal | 17-6 (8-5 UFC) vs. 17-6 (4-0 UFC) | Featherweight | +240 vs. -440 |
| Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. John Castaneda | 29-6 (7-6 UFC) vs. 21-7 (4-3 UFC) | Bantamweight | +270 vs. -340 |
| Danny Silva vs. Lucas Almeida | 9-1 (1-0 UFC) vs. 15-3 (2-2 UFC) | Featherweight | -230 vs. +190 |
| Andrea Lee vs. JJ Aldrich | 13-10 (5-8 UFC) vs. 13-7 (9-6 UFC) | W Flyweight | +170 vs. -205 |
| #12 Charles Johnson vs. Ramazan Temirov | 17-6 (6-4 UFC) vs. 18-3 (1-0 UFC) | Flyweight | -130 vs. +110 |
