For the final time this year, the UFC is sandwiched in during a busy Saturday night of college football, college basketball, the NBA and NHL to cap off the seven-year ESPN relationship and a 42-event schedule that began in Jaunary.
From the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, a 13-fight card is topped by a critical flyweight bout between Brandon Royval and Manel Kape. Royval (17-8 MMA) and Kape (21-7 MMA) are both at critical stages in their quest for a title shot. Given the way Joshua Van beat Alexandre Pantoja to become the new UFC Flyweight Champion this past Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 323, Royval vs. Kape could be a good sample size for the flyweight title picture next year.
Royval told select media members earlier this week he will do all he can to make it look easy against Kape.
“I said I’m going to fight this kid exactly how he wants me to fight him, and my corner strongly advised against that,” Royval said about the fight with Van from earlier this year. “Maybe if the last 10 seconds doesn’t happen, I win fighting his style. I don’t know. That being said, I just need to go out there and make up for it and fight Manel Kape and show what I can do.”
Royval added he wants to make a statement to leave no doubt he is worthy of a title shot against Van, or whoever the champion is by then.
Brandon Royval Makes Bold Prediction For UFC Vegas 112
“I just want to walk him down,” Royval said. “I just want to get in his face and put a leash on him and dog walk his a** all around that cage.”
Royval’s last win came in October of last year at UFC Vegas 98 against Tatsuro Taira by split decision, and he’s won three of his last five entering the fight with Kape.
Meanwhile, Kape isn’t letting Royval’s comments get to him.
“Brandon Royval just beat Tatsuro Taira – he beat badly. Not just win, he beat,” Kape said. “I’m gonna make Brandon Royval look easy. Who you think deserve the title shot? I don’t even need to pass Tatsuro Taira to show that I’m better man than him. I’m gonna beat and make the guy that beat you look easy. So, there will be no denying.”
Check out the betting odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook, as the action gets underway at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, followed by the main card at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
The UFC will take an extended break before its event schedule restarts with UFC 324 on Jan. 24 on Paramount Plus from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC Vegas 112 Full Card + Odds
Main card (Start time 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+, ESPN2, UFC Fight Pass)
- Brandon Royval (+230) vs. Manel Kape (-285), flyweight
- Giga Chikadze (+270) vs. Kevin Vallejos (-340), featherweight
- Cesar Almeida (+180) vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk (-218), middleweight
- Melquizael Costa (-148) vs. Morgan Charriere (+124), featherweight
- Kennedy Nzechukwu (-122) vs. Marcus Buchecha (+102), heavyweight
- King Green (-192) vs. Lance Gibson Jr. (+160), 160-pound catchweight
READ MORE: UFC Fight Night free live stream results & highlights for Royval vs. Kape
Preliminary card (Start time 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass)
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