UFC Fight Night 253, featuring the main event between Manel Kape and Asu Almabayev, took place with a total of ten fights scheduled on the card. The event was notable for its lack of star power, particularly when compared to concurrent events in other promotions, such as WWE’s Pay-Per-View Elimination Chamber in Toronto.
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UFC Fight Night 253: Main Card Highlights
Welterweight Clash: Sam Patterson put on a show, scoring a devastating first-round knockout against Danny Barlow.
Middleweight Bout: Cody Brundage came out strong and didn’t let up, finishing Julian Marquez with a first-round TKO.
Lightweight Matchup: Nasrat Haqparast fought a tough battle and narrowly got the win over Esteban Ribovics by split decision.
Featherweight Fight: It was a close one, but Hyder Amil managed to edge out William Gomis in a tight split decision.
Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev at UFC Fight Night 253
Round 1
Almabayev throws a body kick, but Kape catches it and counters with a few sharp jabs. A crisp left hand lands clean for Kape, and Almabayev clearly feels it. Kape methodically pressures forward, stalking Almabayev. Another big left from Kape! He looks dangerous early. Now a right hand connects, and Almabayev appears hesitant, stuck on his back foot. Blood trickles from Almabayev’s left eye. Kape lands a powerful right hand and is headhunting, while Almabayev offers little in return. He shoots for a takedown but comes up short. The round ends.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Kape.
Round 2
Almabayev shows a bit more urgency, pressing forward and attempting a takedown, but Kape stuffs it with excellent defense. Kape fires off heavy shots and resumes walking him down. Almabayev starts putting more power behind his combinations and lands a solid right hand. Kape answers back with a leg kick. Oh! A massive knee from Kape! He’s relentlessly chasing Almabayev, who struggles to find effective counters. Almabayev continues to retreat, and the round concludes.
MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Kape.
Round 3
Kape comes out swinging, immediately pushing the pace. Almabayev throws a leg kick, but Kape responds with a barrage of heavy punches, forcing Almabayev backward. Kape pours on the pressure! Almabayev grabs hold of a leg but absorbs elbows in the process. Three minutes remain. Almabayev eats a knee as he gets back to his feet. He’s in full retreat mode, and Kape is relentless in pursuit. The referee has seen enough—he steps in and waves it off. It’s over!
Main Event: Manel Kape defeats Asu Almabayev via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 2:16
Manel Kape has been vocal about wanting a title shot, and after stopping Bruno Silva in December, he backed up his words with another big performance. On Saturday night at the UFC APEX, Kape put an end to Asu Almabayev’s impressive winning streak, securing a late third-round stoppage. With this victory, the Top 10 flyweight may have solidified his case for a championship opportunity.
Preliminary Card Highlights:
- Heavyweight Bout: Mario Pinto made a huge impact in his UFC debut, finishing Austen Lane with a second-round knockout.
- Flyweight Matchup: JJ Aldrich controlled the fight from start to finish, cruising to a dominant unanimous decision win over Andrea Lee.
Performance Bonuses:
- Fight of the Night: Nasrat Haqparast and Esteban Ribovics went to war in an action-packed battle, taking home $50,000 each for their efforts.
- Performance of the Night: Manel Kape and Mario Pinto put on spectacular performances, each earning a well-deserved $50,000 bonus.
UFC Fight Night Results
The results from the main card are as follows:
Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev: Kape won via TKO.
Cody Brundage vs. Julian Marquez: Result not specified in detail.
Nasrat Haqparast vs. Esteban Ribovics: Haqparast won by split decision.
Hyder Amil vs. William Gomis: Result not specified in detail.
Danny Barlow vs. Sam Patterson: Result not specified in detail.
Austen Lane vs. Mario Pinto: Pinto won via TKO.
Jose Mariscal vs. Ricardo Ramos: Result not specified in detail.
Lucas Almeida vs. Danny Silva: Almeida missed weight; Silva’s result not specified in detail.
J.J. Aldrich vs. Andrea Lee: Aldrich won by decision.
Charles Johnson vs. Ramazonbek Temirov: Result not specified in detail.
Fight Purses and Bonuses Each fighter on the card received their show/win money along with any additional earnings from performance bonuses awarded during the event:
Both Manel Kape and Mario Pinto earned a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus for their impressive finishes.
Nasrat Haqparast and Esteban Ribovics were awarded Fight of the Night honors, also receiving $50,000 each.
Conclusion
Overall, while UFC Fight Night 253 may have struggled with star power and had some fights canceled prior to weigh-ins, it still delivered exciting matchups and performances that resulted in significant financial rewards for standout fighters.
Aditya Khare