Manel Kape vs. Matheus Nicolau Scrubbed from UFC Fight Night 234 Lineup

🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/TGReZ4W0Kq

— マネル・ケイプ Manel Kape (@ManelKape) January 12, 2024

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is down one huge fight ahead of its Saturday show.

At the UFC Fight Night 234 weigh-ins on Friday morning, Manel Kape hit the scales at 129.5 pounds. He was slated to rematch Matheus Nicolau (126), and when he came in heavy and decided to stop cutting, he was assessed a 25% fine of his purse. Before the fighters could square off for their faceoffs, the promotion canceled the fight altogether. According to Kape, Nicolau elected not to receive the fine and accept the match.

“Guys, I couldn’t make the weight this time,” Kape wrote, “two weeks ago I was extremely sick due to a virus that happened here in Las Vegas, and I had to stay out of training for five days and filling myself with antibiotics; [it] not only affected me but many of my training partners. My coaches and manager thought it was better for me to cancel the fight due to the state I was in. But I decided to move on and not cancel. My opponent didn’t accept to fight or accept my purse.”

This is far from Kape’s first scuttled match in recent memory, as he has seen a number of his matches fall through for various reasons dating back to his promotional debut in 2020. Eight different bouts have been scratched, ranging from Kape failing a drug test to a foe missing weight to injuries and more. In comparison, “Starboy” has competed just six times in the Octagon to date, and he is currently riding a four-fight win streak. Kape claimed he was seeking a title shot with a victory on Saturday, but his plans have been dashed for the time being.

The disappointed flyweight continued, “I would give him my entire purse if he wants to fight. But things are as they are, and I take all responsibilities. Last year I had five fights canceled, one of those my opponent was 11 lbs above, even so I agreed to fight. Thank you to all the [UFC Performance Institute] nutritionists who tried everything for me to make weight. See you guys soon.”