Truth and trash talk don’t usually get along together. Fighters make use of made-up facts and anecdotes to sell a fight. Flyweight star Manel Kape recently shed some true light on his alleged altercation with Muhammad Mokaev. The reported incident is not what was initially said to have precipitated.
The MMA community was buzzing with reports of a physical altercation between Manel Kape and Muhammad Mokaev. The story painted a picture of a brutal attack, complete with elbows and headbutts. Kape, however, debunked the entire tale. He revealed that no such altercation ever took place in a conversation with Jake Noecker.
Just spoke with Manel Kape who tells me that there was NO physical altercation with Muhammad Mokaev outside of the UFC PI. Kape also went on to say that Mokaev is his “Muslim brother” and there is nothing but respect leading up to their fight at #UFC304 on July 27th in Manchester.
Jake Noecker via X
Kape’s teammate, Jean Silva, had claimed that “Starboy” assaulted Muhammad Mokaev outside the gym and had split open his forehead. However, Kape wasn’t upset with Silva for spinning this yarn. The flyweight star actually appreciated his teammate’s promotional skills, calling him a ‘good promoter.’
UPDATE: Just spoke with Manel Kape who tells me that there was NO physical altercation with Muhammad Mokaev outside of the UFC PI
He said that Jean Silva likely told the story to help “promote the fight” and actually gave him credit for being a “good promoter”. Kape also went on… pic.twitter.com/nwWJCtpKjk
— Jake Noecker (@JakeNoeckerMMA) July 10, 2024
Mokaev and Kape will fight against each other at UFC 304. This fight would inch the victor closer to a title shot against Alexandre Pantoja. Kape is on a four-fight win streak, with his recent win coming against Felipe Dos Santos. Muhammad Mokaev, on the other hand, is still undefeated. His last win came against Alex Perez in March of this year.
Manel Kape believes that he is the ‘biggest test’ for Mohammad Mokaev
Trash talk is a common occurrence in UFC. They are somewhat necessary to promote a fight, even though there is no bad blood. Enter Manel Kape, the Portuguese powerhouse with a penchant for provocative statements. His sights are set on the undefeated Muhammad Mokaev.
Manel Kape believes he is the biggest test (via BJ Penn)At UFC 304 in Manchester, England, the two are set to face each other. It’s a fight that’s been brewing for months. Kape recently declared himself Mokaev’s biggest test. Considering Mokaev’s impressive 6-0 UFC record, it’s a bold claim. As such, “Starboy” sees flaws in Mokaev’s game that he’s eager to exploit.
He wanted a bigger test; I’m the biggest test of this division, so there you go, you ask for something they deliver… I can’t say he impressed me because it’s difficult very for someone to impress me, but he’s doing well.
Manel Kape via InsideFighting
Kape acknowledged Mokaev’s solid technique but insisted it lacked depth. The Portuguese fighter believes there’s a distinction between “excellent” and “championship material.” In his mind, Mokaev falls short of the latter. Mokaev and Kape share no bad blood as such. Recently, Kape embraced Islam and called Mokaev his ‘Muslim brother.’ But some fighting words are necessary to hype up a fight and create excitement.
