Manel Kape explains why he passed on waiting for title shot for Kyoji Horiguchi rematch
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Manel Kape isn’t in the business of waiting for a title shot.
Despite looking at a potential barnburner in the future against reigning UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van, Kape didn’t want to be sidelined for the majority of 2026 waiting for that fight to happen. At the time, the UFC had already promised Tatsuro Taira the next title shot so the promotion gave Kape the option to wait to fight the winner or choose a different opponent to stay active in the mean time.
AdvertisementAdvertisementIt didn’t take long for Kape to decide to book another fight.
“They gave me option to wait for the title but I don’t want to wait,” Kape told MMA Fighting. “I’m on good timing, good rhythm. To wait until the end of the year to fight for the title, that’s not the type of fighter I am. I want to keep rolling., I want to keep making money.
“I believe as a champion as a guy that thinks he’s the champion, you have to fight everyone. You’re going to fight him sooner or later, whatever it is, you’re going to have to fight everyone if you are a champion. So why not do early? So that’s what I did.”
Kape revealed that UFC officials actually apologized to him after it appeared he would fight for the title sooner, especially after he scored three straight wins all by knockout.
AdvertisementAdvertisementBut a slight injury suffered by Van delayed his fight against Taira from April to May and Kape effectively ended up as the odd man out. He didn’t get mired in anger or frustration over the delay and instead told the UFC to give him another fight.
“They were very honest with me,” Kape said. “[They] apologized, because [they] promised the fight to Tatsuro. [They said] we know you have all the reasons to be mad and you’re the guy that’s supposed to be fighting for the title. But on the other hand, the compensation is very good and they gave me the option to wait. But it’s not my style.
“It’s not my styles to wait for something, getting heavy and everything or even be a backup for [the title fight]. No, I want to have a fight. I want to have a real fight. That’s what I chose.”
While it’s not a title fight, Kape was still more than excited to get a rematch against Kyoji Horiguchi in Saturday’s UFC Vegas 119 main event, after first fighting Horiguchi in RIZIN in 2017. On that night, Horiguchi scored a third-round submission win, but as soon as he re-signed with the UFC this past year, Kape knew it was inevitable they would meet again.
Looking back at that first fight, Kape knows he was ill-prepared for somebody as experienced as Horiguchi, but he didn’t shy away from the matchup when it was offered.
“At the time I fought him, he was a killer,” Kape said. “I think he slowed down a little bit. Of course, at that time that I fought him, not taking any credit [away], he was an incredible fighter and he’s still a good fighter, but in the past fight with a young guy coming from Africa … I was in Angola living there for two years and then I was only training with my cousin. He just graduated from England and in England he was a student in business and doing wrestling in his free time and London shootfighting. He was not a professional athlete. When he came back from graduation, we were training. He was the only person that I had. It was just me and him, all the time, no resources. Just pure training.
“If people see where I came from and how I was training, people would say you are crazy. I accepted the offer to go to RIZIN and I didn’t even know who the hell Kyoji was. I was just like this is a good opportunity to get back in MMA because for one or two years, I didn’t fight.”
After the fight, Kape says that Horiguchi’s long time head coach Mike Brown actually invited him to come train with them at American Top Team in Florida. But Kape knew he would eventually cross paths with Horiguchi again so he passed on that opportunity.
AdvertisementAdvertisement“I was thinking one day I’m going to fight this guy again,” Kape said. “I’m going to train at another place because I know I can beat him. If I had the same structure that he had, I can beat him. Where we’re at now, it’s funny.”
Kape isn’t looking at this rematch as a chance at revenge because he feels he’s come so far from that first fight that he doesn’t even seriously consider himself the same person.
That said, Kape knows a win keeps him on track to eventually battle for that UFC flyweight title that has eluded him for so long. He’s also keeping plenty of receipts when it comes time to ask for that shot at gold and he’s confident the UFC is going to fulfill the promises made to him.
“They didn’t give me the title shot because they promised Tatsuro Taira,” Kape said. “The same way, if they promise they’d give me the fight at the end of the year, it is what it is. I could sit here very comfortable and tell everyone I’m fighting for the title and just wait. What’s your guarantee? They give me their word. If they gave their word to Tatsuro Taira, I can play the same negotiation.
AdvertisementAdvertisement“Of course, if they promised, they’ll keep their word. That’s the strategy I could use against them but it’s not my type. End of the year is a long time. It’s not about financial — I’m very comfortable. But it’s just about the love of competition. The challenge and the timing. I don’t want to waste more time. I had a lot of cancellations. That’s the one thing about fighting and I love to do it and I want to keep showing why I am this guy.”
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
