UFC Vegas 84: Main Card Fighter Misses Weight, Fined 25% of Salary

Originally posted on FanNation MMA Knockout
By Mathew Riddle | Last updated 1/12/24

Manel Kape has missed weight for his UFC Vegas 84 co-main event against Matheus Nicolau. Kape weighed in at 129.5 lbs - 3.5 lbs over the 126 lbs flyweight non-championship limit.

The fight will still go on and "Starboy" will be fined for 25% of his purse.

It's not a good look for the former RIZIN champion, who has steadily climbed to contender status with a four-fight winning streak. Kape suffered back-to-back losses after joining the UFC, facing stiff competition in Alexandre Pantoja and Nicolau. He will have the opportunity to avenge his loss against Nicolau at UFC Vegas 84, and possibly against Pantoja if the UFC decides he's an eligible contender.

UFC Vegas 84 is headlined by another rematch as bombastic Brazilian Johnny Walker takes on Magomed Ankalaev. The two fought before at UFC 294 in October 2023, with the fight coming to an unfortunate end after Ankalaev landed an illegal knee.

The light heavyweight headliner should carry title fight implications as Ankalaev fought for the belt once before (drawing with Jan Blachowicz in 2022), and Walker is on a steady track to being a legitimate contender. The UFC should see some movement in both the light heavyweight and flyweight divisions once UFC Vegas 84 concludes.

This article first appeared on FanNation MMA Knockout and was syndicated with permission.

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