Asu Almabayev vs Manel Kape — Fight recap

Manel Kape defeated Asu Almabayev by KO/TKO in the third round at 1:16 on March 1, 2025, with referee Mike Beltran officiating. Kape's striking volume proved decisive, landing 61 of 115 significant strikes (53%) compared to Almabayev's 40 of 80 (50%), with Kape targeting the head effectively at 47 of 95 attempts.

Almabayev failed to establish his wrestling game, converting zero of six takedown attempts while Kape controlled minimal cage time at just 29 seconds. The fight remained a pure striking affair with neither fighter securing ground control, but Kape's superior output and accuracy in the third round forced the finish.

The loss marks a significant setback for Almabayev's divisional momentum.