Manel Kape Bio: UFC, Stats, Ranking & Net Worth
June 4, 2026
This article was last updated by Sujan on May 4, 2026
The majority of the UFC fighters come from countries like Japan, Canada, United Kingdom, Brazil, and the United States. Manel Kape, on the other hand, comes from southern Africa, from Angola.
Likewise, he is the first Angolan-Portuguese fighter to play in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The aggressive phenomenon Manel Kape is a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter who fights in the UFC under the Flyweight division. Before pursuing MMA, he participated exclusively in boxing matches.
Manel Kape, an Angolan MMA fighterHe started his professional career in 2012. Before competing in the UFC, he fought in the Cage Fighters, Knock Out Championship, and Rizin Fighting Federation.
Moreover, the fighting spirit, Kape, has participated in a total of 21 MMA matches; he has won 15 matches and lost 6.
There is a lot to learn about this competitive soul. Let’s start with some useful quick facts about Manel Kape.
Quick Facts about Kape
Where is Manel Kape from? Age, Body Measures & Horoscope
The MMA fighter, Manel, is a newcomer to the UFC. On November 14, 1993, he was born in Luanda, Angola, which is the capital and central city on the west coast of South Africa.
The 27-years old fighter has an average height of 5 ft and 6 inches. Also, Manel possesses a well-toned body and weighs around 57 kg.
Similarly, Kape falls under the sign of Scorpio, which makes him a strong-willed and determined person.
Who inspired Manel for MMA? When did he take his first MMA bout?
The MMA fighter Manel grew up among fighting-spirited people. Before MMA fights, Manel used to participate exclusively in boxing matches. Kate’s father instilled warrior mentality in his mind at a young age, a boxer.
Like Manel, his other brothers also are in combat sports; they always encourage and support him.
When Kape is down and needs motivation, his family is always there for him. Kape feels lucky to have such a family.
Manel started his martial arts training when he was four, then Brazilian jiu-jitsu and kickboxing followed at 10.
He took MMA at 11. At the age of 15, Kape participated in an amateur fight which he won via knock-out.
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When and how did Manel start his professional career?
The warrior soul, Kape, started his MMA career fighting in Cage Fighters when he was 17. He went against Artur Gomes at Cage Fighters 2; Kape won his first match via TKO in the first round.
Then he faced Ricardo Teixeira and won the second bout by submission. Moreover, Manel defeated Marco Santos with a unanimous decision.
After Cage Fighters, he fought in Knock-Out Championship. In his first fight with Souksavanh Khampasath, he got defeated via a rear-naked choke.
Just after a setback, Kape rose and defeated Hicham Rachid at Invictus 1. He won many fighters until the time came when he wanted to leave the Knock-Out Championship.
Manel decided to quit because, one after another, scheduled bouts got canceled.
Kape and Rizin Fighting Federation
The aggressive fighter, Manel, took his first in the Rizin Fighting Federation at Rizin 6 against Erson Yamamoto. Kape won the match after 71 seconds with a left-leg head kick KO.
Kape vs. McCall
The confident fighter, Kape, got scheduled to face Ian McCall, former Tachi Palace flyweight champion. When they faced each other at the weigh-ins, they got into a fight when Manel slapped McCall on the back of his head.
The officials have to intervene to stop them from further fighting.
Finally, on the fighting ring, Kape defeated Ian via technical knock-out. McCall got cuts on his face with the ring ropes.
Following McCall, Manel faced Kyoji Horiguchi, one of the world’s best bantamweights. Despite a competitive fight, Kape lost in the third round.
Kape got a victory when he faced Yusaku Nakamura with a rear-naked choke. Again Kape lost against Ulka Sasaki via unanimous decision.
Moreover, at Rizin 18, faced a UFC veteran and World Extreme Cagefighting champion, Takeya Mizugaki. Kape won the match via knock-out in the second round.
What after the Rizin Fighting Federation?
After two years with the Rizin Fighting Federation, Kape decided to participate in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Coming to this decision was not easy for Kape.
Kape achieved success and accolades after he came to the RFF; he became a champion. He admitted that he felt bound to Japan when RFF occurred.
Manel felt like he should defend his title and stay in Japan, but after some time reflecting, talking to his family and coaches, he decided to leave RFF.
How did UFC start for Kape?
After, Rizin, UFC was a sure thing for Kape. Therefore, he went ahead and challenged Cody Garbrandt, a former bantamweight champion, for a fight.
On March 30, 2026, Kape declared that he had signed a four-fight contract with the UFC.
Also, 2026 turned out to be a lousy year for Manel. He was supposed to make his UFC debut on August 15, 2026, against Rogerio Bontorin, but the bout got canceled due to Bontorin’s ankle injury.
Similarly, Manel could not fight against Alexandre Pantoja on December 19, 2026, due to Pantoja’s Covid-19 infection.
Finally, Kape appeared on February 6, 2026, at UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Volkov, but he lost by unanimous decision.
Manel faced Controversial Split Decision Against Matheus
For his second UFC match, Manel fought Matheus Nicolau on March 13, 2026, at UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Muhammad.
After the first loss in UFC, Kape was ready to face his opponent, but it also did not favor him.
The Brazilian MMA fighter Matheus Nicolau gave a tough competition to Manel in the three-round match. The third round was worth watching.
Even though Kape went on pouring punishment in the final round, Nicolau had his way of upping his volume.
Nicolau’s performance in the last five minutes earned him an extra favor from a judge for the split decision.
After a gloomy start in the UFC, the Rizin champion, Manel, has yet to show his absolute power in the UFC matches.
Manel Kape | Net Worth
The Rizin champion, Manel, has been active in MMA since 2012. In his eight-year-long career, he must have increased his net worth. Yet his actual net worth has not been disclosed.
According to sources Manel Kape has an estimated net worth of $10,000 or more.
The Angolan fighter has just started fighting in the UFC, which will surely add value to his worth in the upcoming days.
An Insta post about Kape enjoying time with his buddy.
The ambitious soul dreams of becoming a UFC champion and realizes his goal. He will likely become a champion and fulfill his dream.
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Manel lost in the stardom
Often people lose the sense of who they are and what their goals are after stardom. Manel also experienced a sense of displacement after some losses during his time in Rizin.
The fighter confessed that he felt lost in the glitz and glamour of the show.
Kape added, after his success in Japan, he lost control of his life. He was partying more and spending less and less time in training.
Moreover, he felt like he was losing his goal when he faced defeats. However, he realized that through proper training and focus, he could get back.
Manel said that he would look in the mirror and talk to himself to remember his goal and stay on track. That is how Kape was able to focus on fighting again.
After becoming a Rizin champion, he now wants to become a UFC champion.
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Social Media Presence
Even after busy training and fighting schedules, Manel seems to make time for social media. The UFC fighter is active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
On Instagram and Facebook, Kape has posts mainly related to his fights, training, and leisure time with friends and family.
An Insta post about Manel’s workout session.
Similarly, on Twitter, he posts about his upcoming bouts and news related to fighting. The rising UFC star is yet to gain popularity on social platforms.
– 38.3K followers, 638 following
– 4397 followers
–32.5K followers, 149 following
Is Kape dating anyone? Girlfriend & Affairs
At this moment, Manel seems to be enjoying his solo time traveling with his buddies. Most importantly, Kape is focused on his fighting career more than anything else.
There is no news or post about Kape dating anyone. Though there were posts on Instagram about Kape enjoying quiet evenings with beautiful ladies, there is no confirmation about any relationships.
Though Kape’s eyes are all set on his career, his fans and followers would like to get any news about his personal affairs.
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FAQs
What is Manel’s nickname?
Manel is popularly known as a Starboy.
When did Kape appear in his first UFC match?
No. Kape was supposed to appear in his first UFC match on August 15, 2026, against Rogerio Bontorin. The game was canceled and rescheduled for December 19, 2026, which got canceled again.
Finally, on February 6, 2026, Kape debuted at UFC Fight Night: Thomson vs. Neal against Alexandre Pantoja. Kape lost the match by unanimous decision.
What ethnicity does Kape come from?
Kape was born in Luanda, Angola, and he comes from an African ethnicity.
What is Manel Kape’s MMA record like?
Manel Kape maintains an MMA record of 16 wins (ten by knockout, five by submission, and one by decision) and six losses (two by submission and four by decision).
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Sanjib Sah is an engineer and content writer passionate about sports and athletics. With a background in engineering and a love for all things active, Sanjib brings a unique perspective to the world of sports writing. Whether he is covering the latest trends in sports technology or sharing tips on improving your game, Sanjib's words are always rooted in a deep appreciation for players' hard work and dedication everywhere. In his free time, you can find him hitting the courts or hitting the trails, always looking for new ways to challenge himself and improve his skills.
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