4/3/24: Manel Kape Out of UFC Main Event Against Matheus Nicolau, Replaced By Alex Perez
Also: Endeavor to go private following buyout
Welcome to a Wednesday edition of the Knockdown Daily. We have a few stories from around the MMA world for you today: A big change in UFC’s schedule, a business story, and a new crossover talent to discuss. Today’s notes section also includes slight tweaks that have hit this week’s UFC, PFL and Cage Warriors cards. Let’s get started.
Manel Kape Out of April 27th UFC Main Event Against Matheus Nicolau, Replaced By Alex Perez
The long-awaited flyweight rematch between Matheus Nicolau and Manel Kape won’t be happening anytime soon.
Kape has withdrawn from his April 27th UFC main event booking against Nicolau, marking the second time this year that a matchup between the ranked talents has fallen off a card.
Replacing Kape will be Alex Perez, who will be trying to end a multi-year losing streak when he competes at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. UFC announced the change on Tuesday.
The reason for Kape’s departure from the April “Fight Night” card isn’t known at the moment. The former RIZIN Bantamweight Champion has dealt with a long list of cancelled bouts since joining the UFC roster in 2020. Because of the delays, he has only competed twice since 2021.
Kape was originally booked to face Nicolau on a January UFC card. However, after Kape missed weight by a substantial three-and-a-half pounds, the fight was cancelled. UFC decided to re-book the pairing for later this year, giving it a five-round main event spotlight. The 30-year-old’s last win was a decision victory in September over Felipe dos Santos.
The new booking gives Perez a chance to earn his first victory in years. The ranked flyweight has suffered consecutive three losses, all against high-level names in the division. Perez’s streak of defeats started in late 2020, getting finished in the first round by then-UFC Flyweight Champion Deiveson Figueiredo. A year and a half later, he lost in 91 seconds to Alexandre Pantoja, who is now the division’s top name.
Perez will be making somewhat of a quick turnaround later this month. Just a few weeks ago, he lost a decision to undefeated contender Muhammad Mokaev.
Nicolau will now have a new opponent across from him when he looks to return to the win column in Vegas. The 31-year-old Brazilian lost a high-profile bout in the division against Brandon Royval last year, getting put away in the first round with strikes. Royval went on to challenge for the flyweight title in his next appearance.
Nicolau had a five-fight streak of UFC wins prior to his loss last year, including performances over Matt Schnell and David Dvorak.
Endeavor Sold To Equity Firm, Will Be Taken Private
Endeavor, the majority shareholder of UFC parent company TKO Group Holdings, is leaving the New York Stock Exchange.
The entertainment company, which has 51 percent control of the publicly traded stock symbol that represents the UFC, has been sold to private equity firm Silver Lake Capital. The sale will take the company private.
Silver Lake will pay $27.50 per share to obtain 100 percent ownership of the company. This means shareholders will receive a little more than what their current investment is worth on the market, as the company traded at around $24 to $25 per share in the month of March.
Endeavor, a company best known for managing prolific names in sports and entertainment, bought the UFC in 2016 for $4 billion. Last year they closed a deal to form a subsidiary company—TKO Group Holdings—to represent both UFC and professional wrestling promotion WWE on the stock market.
Despite Endeavor being taken private, TKO will remain on the stock market. The value of TKO shares jumped up four percent on Tuesday following the news of the sale. A single share of TKO stock is now worth $90, a figure the company hasn’t seen since its launch in September 2023.
Endeavor only briefly existed as a public company. After delays, the company’s much-anticipated initial public listing (IPO) took place in 2021. The stock has arguably underperformed since launch, peaking at just under $35 per share in late 2021 and hitting an all-time low of $17 last Fall.
Silver Lake has been a big player in Endeavor’s business for more than a decade. Bloomberg reported that the private equity firm had a 71 percent voting stake in the company at the time of the recent sale.
Super Middleweight Boxing Champ Savannah Marshall To Make MMA Debut
Former Claressa Shields opponent and current boxing super middleweight champion Savannah Mitchell will cross over to MMA later this year at a PFL Europe event.
Marshall’s first MMA bout will take place on June 8th from the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, England, per an announcement made by the PFL this week. Her opponent has not been revealed yet.
Marshall currently holds the WBA, WBO, IBF and WBA titles at super middleweight. She earned these belts by scoring a decision win over Franchon Crews-Dezurn last July. She previously fought at middleweight but moved up a division after suffering her first pro loss in 2022 to Sheilds.
Marshall won’t be the first decorated boxer to make their MMA debut in the PFL cage. The aforementioned Shields notably first made a walk to the cage in 2021, beating Brittney Elkin in a tough split decision result. She took her first loss in the sport later that year and bounced back from that defeat when she made her return to MMA in February.
Notes On: UFC, PFL, Bellator & Cage Warriors
UFC
Alatengheili (16-9-2) has withdrawn from his fight this weekend against Victor Hugo (24-4) at bantamweight, per Nolan King of MMA Junkie. UFC is reportedly currently looking for a replacement opponent that Hugo could face. Two different fights have now fallen through for Hugo, who earned a UFC contract last Fall with a kneebar submission win on “Dana White’s Contender Series.”
Jake Matthews (19-7) and Phil Rowe (10-4) have been matched up for UFC 302 on June 1st in Newark, New Jersey, as announced by the UFC. Rowe will be returning after just under a year outside of the cage, with his last appearance being a split decision loss to Neil Magny. Matthews, a fighter who has flipped between winning and losing in his past six fights, is coming off a late 2023 defeat to undefeated Michael Morales.
PFL
Another change has been made to PFL’s regular season opening night this Thursday. Tyrell Fortune (13-2) has been pulled from his heavyweight fight against Daniel James (14-7-1). Replacing him will be Marcelo Golm (10-4), who was previously placed on the card in a regular season reserve bout. Golm’s original opponent, Jordan Heiderman (7-1), is now also off the card.
Bellator
Peter Queally (13-8-1) will have the home advantage when he faces Yancy Medeiros (12-8) at Bellator’s June 22nd card from Dublin, Ireland. Queally’s last fight ended in 26 seconds via no contest after opponent Daniele Miceli landed an illegal head kick to a grounded Queally. He had a three-fight losing streak before then, including a 2021 title fight loss to Patricky Pitbull. UFC vet Medeiros has fought twice since joining the Bellator roster in 2022. He won his promotional debut over Emannuel Sanchez, then his second fight—an early submission over Charlie Leary—was overturned to a no contest after a failed drug test.
Cage Warriors
Paul Hughes (10-1) has received a third opponent for Saturday’s Cage Warriors 170 card. While he was originally expected to face short-notice opponent Edgar Escarrega (12-3-1), he’s now being paired up against Brazilian vet Fabiano Silva (34-15-1) at a catchweight of 160 pounds in the London, England co-main event. Hughes, a former Cage Warriors featherweight champ, won his lightweight debut against Jan Quaeyhaegens last year. Silva is coming into Cage Warriors after dropping a decision in Polish promotion Babilon MMA two weeks ago. He had a three-fight winning streak before then.
Light heavyweights Jamie MacDonald (3-0) and Nell Ariano (0-0) will meet at Cage Warriors 171 on April 20th in Glasgow, Scotland. MacDonald has earned three wins since turning pro in 2022, including a pair of first-round finishes. Ariano is debuting after putting together an amateur career of nine wins and four losses. Ariano competed in the 2023 IMMAF Heavyweight World Championships, getting eliminated in the semi-finals by Sultan Gapizov.