Manel Kape said he was going to make it look easy against Brandon Royval, and made good on that promise.

In the final fight of the year, Kape (22-7 MMA, 7-3 UFC) took on a high-stakes matchup against former title challenger Brandon Royval in the main event of UFC on ESPN 73 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. While it wasn't explicitly labeled as a No. 1 contender bout, there was an opportunity to make a case with a strong enough performance. Well, it doesn't get much better than a brutal first-round knockout, which Kape pulled off, leaving Royval (17-9 MMA, 7-5 UFC) on the canvas at 3:18.

Kape put the pressure on from the beginning of the fight, but didn't necessarily rush things. He studied how Royval responded to his movements, and countered his opponent's shots well. He then found an opening for a crushing right hand that dropped Royval, and the follow-up swarm marked the finish to the bout as referee Herb Dean rushed in.

HE WILL NOT BE DENIED.@ManelKape ends 2025 with a show-stopping R1 TKO! #UFCVegas112pic.twitter.com/f50LAA8kT4

— UFC (@ufc) December 14, 2025

Now on a three-fight winning streak, Kape turned his attention to the recently crowned flyweight champ Joshua Van.

"You replaced my place, now you have my belt," Kape said during his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. "If I didn't break my feet in July, I would be the champion right now. Now, baby, listen very well: I'm here. Your daddy. Your daddy is gonna take your diapers."

Kape suggested the two meet for a flyweight title fight on Feb. 21 at the UFC Fight Night event in Houston. Not only is the city Van's backyard, but it's also where Kape got his first UFC win, so he has fond memories and wants to make more.

"Nobody can deny my belt," Kape said. "I'm the best here. I'm the f*cking best."

Kape ties the longest active UFC knockout streak with three, matching Ilia Topuria, Ateba Gautier, Michael Morales and Azamat Murzakanov.

For Royval, the result marks back-to-back losses. After losing a decision against Alexandre Pantoja for the title at UFC 296, he rebounded with two split decision wins against Brandon Moreno and Tatsuro Taira, but has now lost two to Van and Kape.

Full UFC on ESPN 73 results include:

• Manel Kape def. Brandon Royval via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:18
• Kevin Vallejos def. Giga Chikadze via KO (punches) – Round 2, 1:29
• Melquizael Costa def. Morgan Charriere via knockout (head kick) – Round 1, 1:14
• Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Marcus Buchecha ends in unanimous draw (28-28, 28-28, 28-28)
• King Green def. Lance Gibson Jr. via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Yaroslav Amosov def. Neil Magny via submission (anaconda choke) – Round 1, 3:14
• Joanderson Brito def. Isaac Thomson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Steven Asplund def. Sean Sharaf via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:49
• Luana Santos def. Melissa Croden via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Guilherme Pat def. Allen Frye Jr. via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Jamey-Lyn Horth def. Tereza Bleda via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:05

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Vegas 112: Manel Kape floors Brandon Royval in opening round

Melquizael Costa closed out a career year in electric fashion at UFC on ESPN 73 with a devastating head kick knockout against Morgan Charriere.

Costa (25-7 MMA, 6-2 UFC) became the first to stop Charriere (21-12-1 MMA, 3-3 UFC) with strikes in MMA competition when in the first round of the featherweight bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, he landed a precious left head kick that broke the guard of his opponent and instantly put him unconscious at the 1:14 mark of Round 1.

It was a thrilling performance to put a cap on a 4-0 year for Costa, and you can watch the reply of the highlight finish below (via X):

THAT JUST HAPPENED 🤯@MelkCostaCauthy makes quick work with a RD 1 KO!

[ #UFCVegas112 is live NOW on the @ESPN app ] pic.twitter.com/rDfJtqcOF0

— UFC (@ufc) December 14, 2025

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With a six-fight winning streak overall at 145 pounds, Costa trails only Lerone Murphy (nine) and Movsar Evloev (eight) for runs of consecutive victories in the weight class.

After the performance that put him alongside Joshua Van as the only UFC fighters to go 4-0 in 2025, Costa said he is looking to carry his momentum into an even bigger year in 2026.

"This year I've been working a lot," Costa said in his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. "I want the top 15 (in 2026), then a top 10 then the last of the year, the belt."

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 73 results include:

• Melquizael Costa def. Morgan Charriere via knockout (head kick) – Round 1, 1:14
• Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Marcus Buchecha ends in unanimous draw (28-28, 28-28, 28-28)
• King Green def. Lance Gibson Jr. via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Yaroslav Amosov def. Neil Magny via submission (anaconda choke) – Round 1, 3:14
• Joanderson Brito def. Isaac Thomson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Steven Asplund def. Sean Sharaf via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:49
• Luana Santos def. Melissa Croden via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Guilherme Pat def. Allen Frye Jr. via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Jamey-Lyn Horth def. Tereza Bleda via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:05

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Vegas 112 video: Melquizael Costa closes 4-0 year with vicious KO

Former Bellator champion Yaroslav Amosov is now a winning UFC fighter after an excellent debut in the promotion.

In the feature prelim of UFC on ESPN 73 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Amosov (29-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) took on welterweight mainstay Neil Magny. Amosov took a few moments to figure out Magny (31-14 MMA, 24-13 UFC), and ended the fight in the first round by submission at 3:14.

As all fights begin, there were a few striking exchanges on the feet to start, and Amosov was willing to exchange. Hwoever, he saw an opening along the fence for the clinch, and scored a trip takedown. From there, Amosov worked in a few punches as he transitioned into an anaconda choke, trapping Magny and forcing a tap.

Check out video of the finish below (via Instagram):

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Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 73 results include:

• Yaroslav Amosov def. Neil Magny via submission (anaconda choke) – Round 1, 3:14
• Joanderson Brito def. Isaac Thomson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Steven Asplund def. Sean Sharaf via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:49
• Luana Santos def. Melissa Croden via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Guilherme Pat def. Allen Frye Jr. via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Jamey-Lyn Horth def. Tereza Bleda via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:05

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Vegas 112: Yaroslav Amosov wins debut in first round

Cesar Almeida and Cezary Oleksiejczuk meet on the UFC on ESPN 73 main card Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.

Last event: 2-2-1

UFC main cards, 2025: 120-86-3

Cesar Almeida vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk UFC on ESPN 73 preview

Almeida (7-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has seen good results since joining the UFC in April 2024, winning three of his four appearances. The 37-year-old has won two in a row and will look to pick up momentum off a knockout of Abdul Razak Alhassan back in January.

Oleksiejczuk (16-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is making his UFC debut roughly three months after earning his contract on Dana White's Contender in September. The 25-year-old will enter on a four-fight winning streak.

Cesar Almeida vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk UFC on ESPN 73 expert pick, prediction

Aside from the matchmakers showing their sense of humor by booking back-to-back weeks of first-name parity fights, Cesar Almeida vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk should be fun for as long as it lasts.

Despite Almeida and Oleksiejczuk having some underrated competency on the floor, both parties prefer sorting things out on the feet. 

Almeida, who tends to start slow and get his reads, has steadily been translating the slickster stylings that served him well in his kickboxing career. The potential problem, however, is that said style has allowed him to be caught cold and stunned early in his MMA fights.

Should Almeida press his luck and get caught cold against a puncher as fast and as powerful as Oleksiejczuk early, then none of us should be shocked if it's enough to finally crack the Brazilian's vaunted durability.

Still, as deceptive as Oleksiejczuk's experience might be, I have a hard time backing a relatively unproven fighter whose primary win conditions are first-round knockouts.

It feels like a risky pick, but I'll side with the older fighter in Almeida to survive the initial storm en route to a somewhat surprising win on the scorecards. 

Cesar Almeida vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk UFC on ESPN 73 odds

Despite the oddsmakers initially opening the Brazilian as a moderate favorite, public money has flipped the line in the Polish fighter's favor, listing Oleksiejczuk -220 and Almeida +176 via FanDuel.

Cesar Almeida vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk UFC on ESPN 73 start time, how to watch

Almeida and Oleksiejczuk are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 11:30 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Vegas 112: Almeida vs. Oleksiejczuk prediction, start time

Despite falling short of challenging the very elite at 135 pounds, Mario Bautista feels very optimistic about his future in the UFC.

Bautista, a rising contender, lost a unanimous decision to former title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 321 in October. There was no doubt who was the better fighter that night, but from Bautista's standpoint, there was also no doubt he's got what it takes to break through into the elite of the UFC's bantamweight division.

"I always knew, but I guess you don't find out until you get to the actual cage and put yourself against one of the best in the division or have one of those types of fight," Bautista told MMA Junkie Radio, reflecting on his loss to Nurmagomedov. "You can do it in the gym, in your workouts digging deep, and everything, but to know that I could do it in the cage against the highest level of the world and just keep digging and trying to win till the very end, I guess I got to see a little bit of that. I just didn't feel too far off. A few adjustments in camp and who knows, maybe I still would've lost or whatever, but it just felt I was very close. I wasn't super out classed. I guess that's something I learned from that."

Bautista's loss to Nurmagomedov put an end to an eight-fight winning streak that saw him capture a lot of attention from the MMA world. The MMA Lab product is expected to return Feb. 7 to headline a UFC Fight Night event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Bautista takes on Brazil's Vinicius Oliveira.

Bautista can't wait to get back in the cage, and feels very optimistic about this bounce back spot in his career. He plans on beating Oliveira, and making another title run with this newfound confidence.

"Absolutely, I know he has a lot of momentum behind him, and he actually beat Kyler Phillips, who's my training partner. I got to watch that fight live, actually, in Louisiana," Bautista said. "He has a lot of momentum behind him, so steal a little bit of that shine. It's supposed to be a main event fight, so that will be good to test the waters of a five-rounder, so yeah, I like the fight. It all kind of makes sense to me, including everything, the opponent, where I'm fighting, main event. It all sounds pretty good to me."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC's Mario Bautista optimistic about standing at bantamweight

The final year of traditional UFC pay-per-views has come to an end, marking the end of an era for the promotion both with that model, and with its ESPN partnership.

With UFC headed to Paramount+/CBS next month and to kick off 2026, the numbered events will stay alive, but with a different naming variation. This year it stretched from UFC 311 to UFC 323, and there were loads of memorable moments, title changes, highlight finishes and bloody battles to encompass the stretch.

Which UFC pay-per-view of 2025 was best, though? Watch the video above as MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn and Luke Thomas rank the 13 cards from best to worst.

To hear more, check out the complete episode of "The Bohnfire" podcast.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Video: Ranking the UFC's 2025 PPV main cards from best to worst

Justin Gaethje says thanks but no thanks to Arman Tsarukyan's offer to help him ahead of UFC 324.

Gaethje (26-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) meets Paddy Pimblett (23-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC) for the interim lightweight title in the UFC 324 headliner Jan. 24 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+).

Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) was snubbed out of the title picture but is willing to fly in and help Gaethje beat Pimblett, whom he absolutely hates. Gaethje appreciates the offer, but knows the intention behind it isn't about him.

"From my perspective, that was more of him trying to go against Paddy rather than help me," Gaethje told Submission Radio. "I'm not going to go and start making drastic changes in my training camps when it comes to getting ready for these fights. I trust the team that I have. I will bring in training partners, but ultimately I'm not going to bring in guys that I'm possibly going to fight in the future. He would be a great training partner, but ultimately I might have to fight him one day, so I think that would be not smart."

If Gaethje beats Pimblett, he is expected to get a title-unification bout against lightweight champion Ilia Topuria. However, with Topuria's desire to move up to welterweight, things could change for Gaethje – and he's already planned for it.

"I guess I don't really have an opinion (on Topuria talking welterweight)," Gaethje said. "I mean, if he went up, I would just be the champion, which I'm not going to complain about. But I think what that leaves open is the chance for me to get a rematch against Max Holloway or Charles Oliveira, get my belt and get the BMF belt.

"And ultimately, that was the script I've been speaking into existence since the (Rafael) Fiziev fight. I thought I was going to fight Ilia in January, and then I was going to fight Max or whoever had the BMF belt on the White House card, and then have both of those belts."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Justin Gaethje doesn't want Arman Tsarukyan's help for Paddy Pimblett