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We're back for another betting prediction and pick as the UFC Tampa Main Card continues with this next bout in the Flyweight (125) Division. Ranked contenders will meet for an electric showdown as No. 9 Manel Kape of Angola takes on No. 12 Bruno Silva of Brazil. Check out our UFC odds series for our Kape-Silva prediction and pick.
Manel Kape (19-7) comes into this fight with a 4-3 record in the UFC since 2021. After winning four consecutive bouts and having a number of bouts against Matheus Nicolau cancelled, he lost to Muhammad Mokaev via unanimous decision in his most recent bout. Now, he'll hope to bounce back as the big betting favorite. Kape stands 5'5″ with a 68-inch reach.
Bruno Silva (14-5-2) comes in with a 4-2-0-1 record in the UFC since 2019. After losing his first two fights with the promotion, he's been perfect since in winning four consecutive fights. His most recent win was over Cody Durden via knockout in the second round so he'll be looking to build upon that momentum in this one. Silva stands 5'4″ with a 65-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Tampa Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Tampa Odds: Manel Kape-Bruno Silva Odds
Manel Kape: -375
Bruno Silva: +295
Over 2.5 rounds: -188
Under 2.5 rounds: +145
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Why Manel Kape Will Win
Manel Kape was face with a tough opponent in Muhammad Mokaev who was able to really exploit his weaknesses in the grappling department. While Kape is adept at scrambling and getting to his feet, he struggles to work his way out of bad positions on the ground and will want to avoid a similar story during this one. His striking is where he really shines and if he's able to keep this fight on the feet, he should be able to find the openings with his punches and refined kicking to all three levels.
He's MUST-WATCH in the Octagon! 🤩@ManelKape returns to action on the #UFCTampa main card! pic.twitter.com/nwskJyqYT3
— UFC (@ufc) December 11, 2024
While he's been known to start the fight at a slower pace, Manel Kape is simply gaining reads on his opponent and waiting for the perfect time to explode with his offense. He's very unpredictable when throwing his offense and will use unorthodox strikes to stifle the rhythm of his opponent. If he senses damage, Kape will quickly work to finish the fight and end his night as soon as possible.
Why Bruno Silva Will Win
Bruno Silva had a lot to learn following two unanimous decision losses to open his UFC career and he clearly took notice of the areas he had to improve. He's since gone 4-0 with three knockouts and a submission finish over increasingly difficult competition within the division. His confidence is the most obvious improvement as he's been coming into each fight with an unbreakable aura around him. His blistering power is enough to make opponents cautious while he relentlessly looks for the highlight-reel finish.
👀👕 “I THINK THIS COULD BE THE NUMBER ONE CONTENDER FIGHT”
Bruno Silva showed up to the UFC Tampa media day in a T shirt with he and Manel Kape saying “Championship contender fight”#UFCTampa pic.twitter.com/JqaKpPRnud
— FULL SEND MMA (@full_send_mma) December 11, 2024
Bruno Silva is also confident that with a win over Manel Kape, he could be a favorite to be next-in-line to challenge Champion Alexandre Pantoja. Silva has also been finished just twice in his career, so he isn't worried about folding to Kape's already questionable striking power. If he's able to have it his way, expect Bruno Silva to march forward through the punches as he lands the heavier shots against Kape.
Final Manel Kape-Bruno Silva Prediction & Pick
This will be an extremely fun fight and given what happened with the current state of the division at UFC 310, both of these men believe they are fighting for a potential title opportunity.
Manel Kape comes into this fight as the rightful favorite due to his striking prowess and ability to adjust to his opponents' style. He's also a skilled wrestler and can choose to keep this fight on the feet if Bruno Silva is unsuccessful with his shots inside. Silva, on the other hand, has won his last four fights with four finishes and is fighting with an all-time high in his confidence level.
For our final prediction, we like Bruno Silva to come out of this fight on top. While Manel Kape is more skilled in just about every area, he tends to wait around and tease his opponents instead of going for the obvious finish. I don't think he'll be able to afford as many mistakes against Silva as the Brazilian eventually finds the knockout blow. Let's roll with Silva as the underdog.
Final Manel Kape-Bruno Silva Prediction & Pick: Bruno Silva (+295)
