The Final Verdict: UFC Vegas 112
Manel Kape gatecrashes the flyweight title conversation
The night’s main event saw Manel “Starboy” Kape explode into championship contention at 145 pounds as he demolished No. 2-ranked Brandon Royval.
Kape stalked Royval around the Octagon and, despite Royval striking effectively early on with a solid jab and well-placed kicks, Kape wasnt unduly ruffled, and he gradually worked himself into striking range. And when he finally unloaded his arsenal, it had an instant effect.
The first big right hand Kape threw dropped Royval to the mat. Then, as Kape unloaded a barrage of punches, another right hand appeared to knock Royval out. Referee Herb Dean dived in to wave off the fight, as Kape claimed a statement victory to put himself in the flyweight title discussion.
Kevin Vallejos blasts past Giga Chikadze to potentially earn ranking spot
Argentina’s Kevin Vallejos took a round to get used to life in the Octagon with a ranked featherweight. But once he found his feet, he let his fists fly to claim a highlight-reel finish.
After a first round largely controlled by his opponent Giga Chikadze, Vallejos pushed the pace mid-way through the second round as he came forward throwing big shots that backed up the Georgian. Then, with Chikadze stuck against the fence, Vallejos unleashed a spinning backfist that knocked his opponent to the mat.
One barrage of elbows later and Chikadze was out, and Vallejos was celebrating the biggest win of his career.
What’s next for Manel Kape and Kevin Vallejos?
Kape made very clear what he wants next, as he delivered a callout to newly-crowned flyweight champion Joshua Van, straight down the camera lens. The narrative, with Van taking advantage of Kape’s injury to defeat Royval at UFC 317 and earn his title shot, is already there.
Now, with both men having defeated Royval, and with Van winning the title after a freak injury to then-champ Alexandre Pantoja, the stage seems to be perfectly set for Van and Kape to meet in a flyweight title clash in early 2026.
As for Vallejos, his victory should see him start this week with a number next to his name. If he comes in at No. 15, bouts with 14th-ranked David Onama and 13th-ranked Dan Ige both look like solid picks for his next fight. Vallejos vs Onama, in particular, would be a superb matchup.
UFC Vegas 112: Official results
MAIN CARD
- Manel Kape def. Brandon Royval via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 3:18
- Kevin Vallejos def. Giga Chikadze via knockout (spinning backfist and elbows) – Round 2, 1:29
- Cezary Oleksiejczuk def. Cesar Almeida via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Melquizael Costa def. Morgan Charriere via knockout (head kick) – Round 1, 1:14
- Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Marcus Buchecha scored a unanimous draw (28-28, 28-28, 28-28)
- King Green def. Lance Gibson Jr via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
PRELIMINARY CARD
- Yaroslav Amosov def. Neil Magny via submission (anaconda choke) – Round 1, 3:14
- Joanderson Brito def. Isaac Thomson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Steven Asplund def. Sean Sharaf via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:49
- Luana Santos def. Melissa Croden via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Guilherme Pat def. Allen Frye via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Jamey-Lyn Horth def. Tereza Bleda via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:05
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