Manel Kape closed out the last UFC fight of the ESPN era last night (Sat., Dec. 13, 2025) at UFC Vegas 112 LIVE on ESPN+ from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, putting a vicious stop to flyweight contender Brandon Royval with a first-round TKO (punches).
Royval is as durable as they come, but some feared he’d get caught too often in a striking battle with Kape. It was paramount for Royval to be able to utilize his grappling, wild transitions, and submission threats to drag this fight into deep water. If “Raw Dawg” couldn’t keep Kape guessing it was going to be a long night.
Unfortunately for Royval, Kape was dialed in from the opening bell and he was dictating the action all the way through. Kape eventually forced his way inside along the cage and landed a huge right hand that sent Royval crumbling to the ground. In less than a second Kape was on “Raw Dawg” again for another clean right followed by a few more shots. There was no doubt that Royval was out as the referee slid in for the stoppage, even though he quickly got back to his feet (albeit stumbling).
It was a great way to close out 2025 and a perfect knockout finish to end the ESPN era. Check out the video highlights below:
For complete UFC Vegas 112 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.
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