Manel Kape: I refused Israel Adesanya’s backstage apology at UFC 293 after press conference

[KazDibiase]

It turns out, Manel Kape really was ready to throw down at the UFC 293 pre-fight press conference.

Just days away from his own fight against Felipe dos Santos, Kape blasted Kai Kara-France, who dropped off the card after suffering a concussion in training. When Kape shouted at the New Zealander in the audience, that drew a reaction then-UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, who is teammates with Kara-France and was on stage promoting his headliner against Sean Strickland.

The fighters exchanged words, with Adesanya promising he would “bury” Kape, calling the flyweight contender a “midget” as security got between them to ensure the incident didn’t turn physical.

The situation seemingly ended there, but Kape revealed that Adesanya approached him backstage and offered an apology.

“After all this talk [at the press conference], he came to me backstage ‘Hey, no disrespect, we are Africa, we’re brothers,’” Kape said when speaking to MMA Fighting. “I said, ‘We are not brothers.

“‘Look, my problem is with Kai Kara, not with you. Why did you stand up? He can handle his business.’”

Kape said he had no beef with Adesanya until the altercation at the pre-fight press conference. But for him, the entire ordeal wasn’t just some promotional tool to hype up his rivalry with Kara-France. That’s why he refused to accept Adesanya’s apology when they ran into each other again two days later at UFC 293.

“Believe me, if he’s in the street with no cameras, I’ll eat you, too,” Kape said. “You are a man to back up your words. Because you’re just one [man], you’re tall, but I’ll eat you in the streets. Believe me. You don’t know what I’m capable of doing.

“He backed down again. Ask them what he said to me backstage. No man, no size, I don’t fear them, and I’m undefeated in the streets.”

While trash talk happens all the time in the UFC, Kape didn’t take kindly to Kara-France dropping out of their fight, and he really didn’t appreciate Adesanya getting involved in business that wasn’t his.

That said, Kape wasn’t shocked that Adesanya approached him backstage at UFC 293. He believes the whole drama surrounding the press conference was just a show for Kara-France and his teammates.

The same can’t be said for Kape.

“I expected it, because they’re just acting,” Kape said. “The difference is I’m not acting. I’m not acting. I’m for real.

“These people, they’re not built like me. Where I come from, what I handle. I’m different than these people. He knows. He don’t want the problem there.”

https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/10...at-ufc-293-after-altercation-press-conference

 

[Espresso]

Kape climbs the ladder and KOs Izzy stiff

 

[xhaydenx]

Haha love Kape.

 

[Fioretti]

 

[r-harper-1]

Little man syndrome must suck

 

[Baal]

Lol Soysanya was feeling apologetic after Sean took his soul

Little man syndrome must suck

Little guy owns Jizzy just like Sean does

 

[JoeRowe]

Bro gonna walk out to Tool's "The Grudge" vs KKF

 

[HaulParris]

It turns out, Manel Kape really was ready to throw down at the UFC 293 pre-fight press conference.

Just days away from his own fight against Felipe dos Santos, Kape blasted Kai Kara-France, who dropped off the card after suffering a concussion in training. When Kape shouted at the New Zealander in the audience, that drew a reaction then-UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, who is teammates with Kara-France and was on stage promoting his headliner against Sean Strickland.

The fighters exchanged words, with Adesanya promising he would “bury” Kape, calling the flyweight contender a “midget” as security got between them to ensure the incident didn’t turn physical.

The situation seemingly ended there, but Kape revealed that Adesanya approached him backstage and offered an apology.

“After all this talk [at the press conference], he came to me backstage ‘Hey, no disrespect, we are Africa, we’re brothers,’” Kape said when speaking to MMA Fighting. “I said, ‘We are not brothers.

“‘Look, my problem is with Kai Kara, not with you. Why did you stand up? He can handle his business.’”

Kape said he had no beef with Adesanya until the altercation at the pre-fight press conference. But for him, the entire ordeal wasn’t just some promotional tool to hype up his rivalry with Kara-France. That’s why he refused to accept Adesanya’s apology when they ran into each other again two days later at UFC 293.

“Believe me, if he’s in the street with no cameras, I’ll eat you, too,” Kape said. “You are a man to back up your words. Because you’re just one [man], you’re tall, but I’ll eat you in the streets. Believe me. You don’t know what I’m capable of doing.

“He backed down again. Ask them what he said to me backstage. No man, no size, I don’t fear them, and I’m undefeated in the streets.”

While trash talk happens all the time in the UFC, Kape didn’t take kindly to Kara-France dropping out of their fight, and he really didn’t appreciate Adesanya getting involved in business that wasn’t his.

That said, Kape wasn’t shocked that Adesanya approached him backstage at UFC 293. He believes the whole drama surrounding the press conference was just a show for Kara-France and his teammates.

The same can’t be said for Kape.

“I expected it, because they’re just acting,” Kape said. “The difference is I’m not acting. I’m not acting. I’m for real.

“These people, they’re not built like me. Where I come from, what I handle. I’m different than these people. He knows. He don’t want the problem there.”

https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/10...at-ufc-293-after-altercation-press-conference

Oh man this is gold. What a goof. My favorite part:

"Believe me, if he’s in the street with no cameras, I’ll eat you, too,” Kape said. “You are a man to back up your words. Because you’re just one [man], you’re tall, but I’ll eat you in the streets. Believe me. You don’t know what I’m capable of doing."

 

[ThaiSexPills]

I’m so glad I’m not a manlet. They’re always so angry

 

[r-harper-1]

Lol Soysanya was feeling apologetic after Sean took his soul

Little guy owns Jizzy just like Sean does

Yeah ….Izzy takes bigger shits

 

[that Indian]

Bro gonna walk out to Tool's "The Grudge" vs KKF

I think Maynard's epic scream is long enough to get him to the cage.

 

[-dirtywhiteboy-]

I do admire the confidence.

 

[Baal]

Yeah ….Izzy takes bigger shits

He eats his dog's shits

 

[RonDante]

Kape bulks to 171 pounds to fight izzy at middleweight

 

[pride_rules]

I will ankle pick you bro - Manel Kape

 

[MrBlackheart]

I’m so glad I’m not a manlet. They’re always so angry

it’s a lose-lose for them. Speak up = always angry, don’t speak up = he took it like a bitch. The world is cruel to short men but at least they will always have leg room on a flight.

 

[HatKick]

War Kape!
Future Champ

Also lol at the insecure Sherdoggers trying to emasculate a man who would turn their rectums inside out.

 

[checktheknuckles]

All that street talk makes me think he gonna pull out his gun or knife.

 

[Steve Fox]

"Hey, no disrespect, we are Africa, we’re brothers”

 

[Shoguns Prodigy**]

Lil man talks a big game.