UFC San Antonio: Perez vs. Kape prediction, how to watch

The UFC is heading to Texas for a stacked fight night event, UFC San Antonio. On tap for this fight night event, we have a barn burner for a main event between two of the best bantamweight contenders in the UFC #3 Marlon Vera, and #5 Cory Sandhagen. On this fight card, we have a men’s flyweight matchup on the main card between two ranked contenders #6 Alex Perez and #9 Manel Kape.

Alex Perez (24-7) hasn’t had a ton of luck lately. He has only fought once in the last three years due to injuries and numerous fight cancellations. Perez was once a title challenger and will be looking to regain that form when he takes on the surging Manel Kape this Saturday in San Antonio, Texas.

Manel Kape (18-6) has been surging as of late, winning three straight with two of those wins coming inside the distance. There was a ton of hype surrounding Kape coming into his UFC debut. He dropped his first two fights with the promotion, albeit one of those was the worst robbery you will see. He gets to take on Perez in hopes of putting his name at the top of the list for a potential title shot.

Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel

UFC San Antonio Odds: Alex Perez-Manel Kape

Manel Kape: -188

Alex Perez: +152

Over (2.5 Rounds): +140

Under (2.5 Rounds): -180

How to Watch Alex Perez vs. Manel Kape

TV: ESPN

Stream: ESPN+

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)

*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Alex Perez Will Win

Alex Perez was once a title challenger in 2020 when he ultimately lost in a short-notice call-up against the former champ Deiveson Figueiredo. He has since just fought one time and subsequently lost that fight against Alexandre Pantoja.

The time off may have done him good to get back to his old form which made him a title challenger in the first place. Perez blends his strikes and his wrestling well. He also has some of the best calf kicks in the division as we saw when he finished former title challenger Jussier Formiga with leg strikes in that fight. If he is able to mix things up against the explosive Manel Kape he can finally get back into the win column.

Why Manel Kape Will Win

Manel Kape has been on a tear as of late, winning three straight fights and finishing two of those opponents. Kape may be small in stature but he’s got some of the heaviest hands in the flyweight division. His explosiveness on the feet sets him apart from the rest in the flyweight division.

That explosiveness could carry him in this matchup against Perez if he has lost a step over the years. Kape will need to dictate the pace of this fight and keep off the fence to get his hands raised to continue his winning streak to four.

Final Alex Perez-Manel Kape Prediction & Pick

This fight will tell us a lot about Perez and whether or not he can still compete with the best in the flyweight division. Kape poses a huge threat on the feet that Perez has never had to deal with in his time in the UFC. The last time he had to stand in there against a dangerous southpaw was against Joseph Benavidez and that was five years ago. As long as Kape can stay off the mat it is essentially his fight to lose and one step closer to that coveted title shot.

Final Alex Perez-Manel Kape Prediction & Pick: Manel Kape (-188)