Flyweight (-57 kilograms) is the lightest men’s division in the UFC, the largest organization in mixed martial arts. Due to its physical limitations, it is hard to deny that it is far from a one-hit wonder.
With 14 fights under his belt, Daveson Figueiredo (36-Brazil) is the most decorated UFC flyweight with four knockouts, followed by Brandon Moreno (30-Mexico) with three.
Figueiredo, the third- through fifth-ranked flyweight, has a 40 percent (4-of-10) UFC KO rate, while Moreno, the fourth- through sixth-ranked flyweight, has a 33 percent (3-of-9) KO rate. That’s where Manel Capp (30-Angola/Portugal) comes in, with two knockouts in five fights.
Carp will compete in a UFC293 flyweight bout against Felipe Doussantos (23-Brazil) at the Sydney Superdome (capacity 18,000) in Sydney, Australia on Sept. 10. Oddsmakers have opened the fight at 1.25. That means he’s rated as an 80% favorite to win his fourth UFC title.
In a pre-fight video interview with MK Sports, Carp said, “My fists are really powerful. It’s going to be very easy,” he said, expressing strong confidence in moving into a tie for second place on the flyweight active knockout list.
“The secret to my destructiveness? There’s no such thing as know-how. I was born special. God gave me a gift. It’s just a matter of honing it and using it well,” says Carp, whose confidence in his ability to knock out anyone is palpable.
Kapp is a former Rizin bantamweight (-61 kilograms) champion in Japan, and comes from a strong mixed martial arts background. He is also highly regarded by the UFC, which offered him a fight with former champion Figueiredo in July 2023.
Figueiredo was not cleared to compete due to medical issues. Kai Karafrance (30-New Zealand), ranked No. 5 in the UFC’s official flyweight rankings, was scheduled to face No. 10 Carp, but was forced to withdraw due to concussion symptoms.
It’s disappointing to see a series of big-name matchups canceled. “Dusantus is a younger, tougher and more courageous fighter than me,” said Kapp, “but I’m better in all areas. I can pick and choose when to finish at any point in the five-minute, three-round fight.”
The 2015 French Knock Out Championship and 2019 RIZIN champion was a bantamweight. The drop to flyweight hasn’t been easy for him, as he failed to make weight for his third UFC fight at 58.5 kilograms.
Carp said, “I’m losing more weight than everyone else for a mixed martial arts flyweight fight. It’s a little tough. The UFC wanted me to revitalize 메이저토토사이트 the stagnant flyweight division when I signed my 2021 contract,” he said, explaining why he dropped down a weight class.
The UFC’s official rankings are based on 15 championship contenders. As of Sept. 6, Carp was ranked No. 10 in the flyweight division. However, the mixed martial arts ranking system Fight Matrix ranks him as the No. 7 flyweight in the UFC.
In response to this underestimation, Carp said, “The end is more important than the beginning. I will end my mixed martial arts career as a champion and at the top of my game. I’m training harder and more focused than anyone else and learning new techniques. I will definitely be a UFC champion. I’m not surprised,” he said.