UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Almabayev

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UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Almabayev
UFC Fight Night 253.jpg
The poster for UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Almabayev
Promotion Ultimate Fighting Championship
DateMarch 1, 2025 (2025-3-1)
Venue UFC Apex
City Enterprise, Nevada, United States
AttendanceNot announced [1]
Event chronology
UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Almabayev UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev

UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Almabayev (also known as UFC Fight Night 253 and UFC Vegas 103 and UFC on ESPN+ 111) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 1, 2025, at the UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Valley, United States. [2]

Contents

Background

A UFC Flyweight title eliminator between former LFA Flyweight Champion (also former title challenger) Brandon Royval and former RIZIN Bantamweight Champion Manel Kape was expected to headline the event. [3] [4] However, Royval withdrew due to multiple concussions. [5] [6] He was replaced by Asu Almabayev. [7] Albamayev was originally expected to face former flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg at the event, [8] but the latter was moved to headline UFC on ESPN: Moreno vs. Erceg and replaced by Allan Nascimento. [9] [10] Nascimento was in turn pulled from the event after the latest changes. [7]

A middleweight bout between Cody Brundage and The Ultimate Fighter: Team Grasso vs. Team Shevchenko middleweight winner Ryan Loder was scheduled for this event. [11] However, Loder withdrew from the fight for unknown reasons and was replaced by Julian Marquez. [12]

A women's flyweight bout between Montana De La Rosa and Luana Carolina was scheduled for this event. [13] However, the bout was scrapped as a result of Carolina's botched weight cut. [14]

In addition, a bantamweight bout between Douglas Silva de Andrade and John Castañeda was scheduled for this event. [15] However, despite having the bout changed to a 140 pound catchweight bout, the fight was cancelled as Silva de Andrade did not have medical clearance to compete. [16]

At the weigh-ins, Lucas Almeida weighed in at 148 pounds, two pounds over the featherweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceeded at catchweight and Almeida was fined 20 percent of his purse which went to his opponent Danny Silva. [17]

Results

Main card (ESPN+)
Weight classMethodRoundTimeNotes
Flyweight Manel Kape def. Asu Almabayev TKO (retirement)32:16
Middleweight Cody Brundage def. Julian Marquez TKO (punches)14:45
Lightweight Nasrat Haqparast def.Esteban RibovicsDecision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28)35:00
FeatherweightHyder Amildef.William GomisDecision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28)35:00
WelterweightSam Pattersondef.Danny BarlowKO (punches)13:10
Preliminary card (ESPN+)
HeavyweightMário Pintodef. Austen Lane KO (punch)20:39
FeatherweightChepe Mariscaldef. Ricardo Ramos Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)35:00
Catchweight (148 lb)Danny Silvadef.Lucas AlmeidaDecision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28)35:00
Women's Flyweight JJ Aldrich def. Andrea Lee Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28)35:00
FlyweightRamazan Temirovdef. Charles Johnson Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)35:00

    [18]

    Bonus awards

    The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses. [19]

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ Mike Bohn (2025-03-02). "UFC Fight Night 253 post-event facts: Andrea Lee sets dubious losing skid record". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
    2. ↑ Nolan King (2024-11-16). "UFC announces 2025 schedule including slew of new events". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
    3. ↑ Diego Ribas (2024-12-20). "Ultimate books Manel Kape vs Brandon Royval for the main fight of UFC Vegas 103". agfight.com. Retrieved 2024-12-21.(in Brazilian Portuguese)
    4. ↑ Brian Mazique (2024-12-22). "UFC And Dana White Make Killer No. 1 Contender Fight". forbes.com. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
    5. ↑ Nolan King (2025-02-05). "UFC Fight Night 253 main event canceled: Brandon Royval withdraws from Manel Kape fight". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
    6. ↑ Danny Segura and Mike Bohn (2025-04-03). "Manel Kape vs. Brandon Royval booked for UFC 317". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
    7. 1 2 Jay Anderson (2025-02-06). "UFC: with Royval out, Asu Almabayev in against Manel Kape". cagesidepress.com. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
    8. ↑ Alexander Behunin (2025-01-02). "Sorry UFC 312, former title challenger will NOT compete in native Australia (because he's stuck at the APEX)". mmamania.com. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
    9. ↑ Alexander Behunin (2025-01-28). "Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg in the works to headline UFC Mexico City". mmamania.com. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
    10. ↑ Tristen Critchfield (2025-01-29). "Allan Nascimento replaces Steve Erceg, meets Asu Almabayev at UFC Vegas 103". sherdog.com. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
    11. ↑ Alexander Behunin (2024-11-27). "Ultimate Fighter 32 winner draws Cody Brundage for UFC debut on March 1, 2025". mmamania.com. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
    12. ↑ Jay Anderson (2024-12-22). "With Ryan Loder Out, Julian Marquez Meets Cody Brundage at UFC Vegas 103". cagesidepress.com. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
    13. ↑ Rodrigo Tannuri (2024-11-06). "UFC encaminha Luana Dread vs Montana de La Rosa para março, em Las Vegas". agfight.com. Retrieved 2024-11-07.(in Brazilian Portuguese)
    14. ↑ Nolan King and MMA Junkie Staff (2025-02-28). "Luana Carolina botched weight cut scraps fight with Montana De La Rosa at UFC Fight Night 253". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2025-02-28.
    15. ↑ Parviz Iskenderov (2025-01-24). "UFC Vegas 103 card confirmed with Royval vs Kape in main event & new bouts added". fightmag.com. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
    16. ↑ Nolan King and Ken Hathaway (2025-02-28). "UFC Fight Night 253 loses another bout due to lack of medical clearance". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2025-02-28.
    17. ↑ Staff (2025-02-28). "UFC Fight Night 253 weigh-in results: Two fights canceled, plus one miss". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2025-02-28.
    18. ↑ "UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Almabayev". Ultimate Fighting Championship. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
    19. ↑ Chris Taylor (2025-03-01). "UFC Vegas 103 Bonus Report: Mario Pinto one of four fighters to take home $50k". bjpenn.com. Retrieved 2025-03-01.
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