Report: Muhammad Mokaev vs. Manel Kape added to UFC 304 on July 27

A matchup between surging UFC flyweight contenders Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape has reportedly been added to UFC 304 in Manchester.

Mokaev and Kape will square off at UFC 304 on July 27th. Home of Fight was the first to report the news of the Mokaev vs. Kape matchup, although the UFC has yet to confirm it, as of this writing.

Mokaev returns after an 11-fight unbeaten streak to begin his professional career, including six straight wins in the UFC Octagon. He most recently defeated Alex Perez in March by unanimous decision in a back-and-forth three-round battle.

The initial hype behind Mokaev’s UFC signing in 2022 has dwindled after showing some vulnerabilities in his recent outings. But, he could potentially earn a flyweight title shot with a win over Kape, especially with a finish.

Mokaev has defeated the likes of Tim Elliott, Jafel Filho, and Malcolm Gordon in the UFC. He made a name for himself in Brave CF before making his UFC debut in 2022.

Muhammad Mokaev, Manel Kape vie for potential flyweight title shot

Mokaev will face another tough task in Kape, who is on a four-fight winning streak inside the Octagon. Before multiple fight withdrawals in 2024, Kape most recently defeated Felipe dos Santos at UFC 293 in September.

The veteran Kape has defeated the likes of Zhalgas Zhumagulov, Ode Osbourne, and David Dvořák during his UFC tenure. He began his UFC career with back-to-back losses to current flyweight titleholder Alexandre Pantoja and Matheus Nicolau.

Pantoja defeated Steve Erceg at UFC 301 last weekend, and a timeline for his return is uncertain. He’s defeated most of the top contenders outside of Mokaev and Kape.

UFC 304 marks the promotion’s return to the UK and Manchester on July 27. The card’s main event has yet to be announced, although the card is expected to feature the return of interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.