The action returns to UFC APEX in Las Vegas as No. 6 ranked flyweight contender Manel Kape looks to make his case for the next title shot at 125 pounds when he faces No. 8 ranked Asu Almabayev. Plus, exciting lightweight prospects collide as Nasrat Haqparast takes on 2024 standout Esteban Ribovics. UFC FIGHT NIGHT: KAPE vs ALMABAYEV takes place Saturday, March 1 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire event will stream live on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) starting with the prelims at 4:30pm ET/1:30pm PT, followed by the main card at 7pm ET/4pm PT.

Almabayev has quietly posted four straight wins to begin his UFC tenure, running his overall winning streak to 17 in the process. After working his way through Dana White’s Contender Series alums Ode’ Osbourne, CJ Vergara, and Jose Johnson, the 31-year-old from Kazakhstan outworked Matheus Nicolau last time out, claiming the third round on all three scorecards to garner the biggest win of his career. While both men have always been targeting this March 1 date as the kickoff to their 2025 campaigns, Kape was initially penciled in opposite Brandon Royval, while Almabayev was first tabbed to face Steve Erceg, and then Allan Nascimento. The re-shuffling delivers a fascinating fight where lingering questions about Kape’s consistency and Almabayev’s ability to hang with the best in the division should be answered. There are a number of critical flyweight matchups on the calendar in the coming months, beginning with this one, and a dominant showing on either side could establish the victor as the clubhouse leader in the chase for the next championship opportunity.

Middleweight stalwarts from strong teams occupy the co-main event position this weekend as Factory X representative Cody Brundage squares off with the MMA Lab’s Julian Marquez.  The 30-year-old Brundage has had a rather unique UFC career thus far, going 4-5 with one no contest and being involved in a pair of bouts that were halted early when he was struck by illegal blows to the back of the head. He’s an “all or nothing” fighter, as all but three of his 17 career appearances have ended inside the distance, and after going without a victory last year, you can be sure Brundage is itching to get his hand raised again this weekend. Marquez steps in for recent TUF winner Ryan Loder here, looking to snap a three-fight slide.