Manel Kape is getting a second chance to make a first impression and probably sooner than expected.
The UFC announced this week that the former RIZIN bantamweight champion will step in as a short-notice replacement for Tagir Ulanbekov to face Matheus Nicolau (15-2-1) in a flyweight bout on March 13. This is the second time that a scheduled meeting between Ulanbekov and Nicolau has been cancelled. The reason for the change is not yet known.
Kape (15-5) was unsuccessful in his UFC debt five weeks ago as he dropped a unanimous decision to top-10 flyweight contender Alexandre Pantoja.