Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. A highly anticipated
Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight matchup is on ice for
the time being. First reported by
MMA Fighting on Thursday, Alexandre
Pantoja (22-5) will no longer be competing at
UFC Fight Night 183 against Manel Kape
(15-4). The reason for Pantoja’s withdrawal is currently
undisclosed, but the promotion is looking to re-book the pair in
February if possible. It is unclear if Kape will remain on this
card with a fresh opponent and make a short turnaround for the
Pantoja re-booking, or simply wait a few months longer to make his
UFC debut.
Pantoja was looking to rebound from a decision loss to the unbeaten
Askar
Askarov in July. With alternating wins and losses in his last
four, “The Cannibal” has dropped decisions to Askarov and current
champ Deiveson
Figueiredo, while knocking out Wilson Reis
and Matt
Schnell along the way. The flyweight joined Season 24 of “The
Ultimate Fighter” to determine a flyweight title challenger, only
to lose in the semifinals to Hiromasa
Ougikubo. Since then, Pantoja has notched six wins including
four stoppages.
“Prodigio” is chomping at the big to make his first walk to the
Octagon, as a previously scheduled match against Rogerio
Bontorin in August was also scratched when Bontorin suffered an
ankle injury. Kape last competed under the Rizin Fighting Federation, where the
bantamweight fought his way through part of the 2017 Grand Prix and
was ejected by Kyoji
Horiguchi. Kape later won the bantamweight throne in his final
Rizin bout, when he knocked out Kai Asakura
to take home gold. He vacated his belt to join the UFC ranks.
UFC Fight Night 183 keeps taking hits, but it will still go on at
the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Dec. 19. The event will now be capped
off by a welterweight clash between Stephen
Thompson and Geoff Neal,
while Marcin
Tybura vs. Greg Hardy
at heavyweight is the co-headliner. Also on the card is a pair of
thrilling bantamweight battles as Marlon
Moraes faces Rob Font while
Jose
Aldo takes on Marlon
Vera.
