- Joined
- Dec 7, 2014
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- 604
Interview was in Ramadan, so I guess March-early April.
cliffs:
0:00 - how to say name. It's pronounced Kap (not Kape).
1:30 - personality, says he was always like that since school days. Says tries to be himself, because things sometimes don't go well when people try to be something else.
2:00 - 7:00 - Watching Kape highlights. Says his father was a world champion boxer, boxing was his first martial art.
Speaks French, Spanish, Portuguese, English, learnt a little Japanese but not Thai (lived in Thailand for three years).
Broke opponent's shoulder in Rizin, doesn't feel bad. But prays pre-fight for him and his opponent to not be seriously hurt. Rampage says he used to do that too.
7:00 - 10:00 - fight cancellation. Got rib injury going for a takedown in training. Not too bad, but was running next day and felt ok, but he tried sprinting and the cartilage broke. Couldn't shower properly.
Wanted to fight after resting, but doctor said it's not safe. Still feels it.
12:30 - Patchy Mix is one of his main training partners. Doesn't train with Kamaru Usman, but has trained with big guys.
Ali Abdelaziz is his manager and friend, they're both African guys.
Most fighters don't have good management knowledge (Kape is a bit more educated than most), you need people you trust.
16:00 - played soccer. Soccer is different to MMA, they all have managers and a team around them (he had a soccer manager in the past). He made some money from soccer as a teen.
18:00 - started BJJ, stopped loving soccer as much. Loved the challenge of BJJ.
22:00 - likes Eric Nicksick because he talks sense. Likes to listen to corner while fighting.
27:45 - talks Pantoja fight. Pantoja was more active but he was blocking everything Pantoja threw, thinks he landed the better shots. Says Pantoja isn't on his level, he's already ready to beat him. He's a good matchup against Pantoja.
30:00 talks Rizin, Pride, UFC, crowd. UFC is better because it pays more and fighters can spend money more on their training. Doesn't like Apex events, likes a crowd. Imagines the people watching at home when fighting in Apex.
33:44 - 39:00 - UFC canvas is slippery, kept sliding and lost his power and speed to do pull counters, so he couldn't throw as many strikes and guys like Pantoja could hit him even though he's faster than them. Has something he does now to fix the problem, but doesn't want to say what it is. In Rizin he didn't slide because he was allowed to wear shoes in the ring. Rampage says in Pride before his fights he used to put handball resin on his sole, wear a plastic bag and socks on top, take the socks off just before the fight and then the resin would make his feet grip better. Rampage used to forget sometimes and would ask someone to bring honey to put on his feet. Kape mentioned it's good to do a pedicure and then apply something to the foot afterwards.
39:15 - 45:45 - Drug testing. Kape tested by UFC drug testers 20 times in one year. Got tested in the hotel three times in one month while on holiday in Singapore. Drug tester, tester's wife and son were there.
Rampage talks about how they watch you urinate and he's heard people use a fake penis to pretend (not sure if trolling).
Rampage says if he was a promoter he'd test Jon Jones twice a week. Says Dana once saw how quickly Rampage's body changed and said people can't do that without steroids and Rampage got tested soon after.
45:45 - 53:00 - Izzy/Kai-Kara France/Kape. KKF pulled out with concussion. Kape doesn't consider a concussion an injury to pull out for a fight. KKF said he's gonna be a dad and wants to stay with family during that too instead of fighting. Kape was pissed off.
Kape and Izzy got into at the press conference. Rampage asked if Kape cared how big Izzy is, Kape said he doesn't give a fuck and he's a fiend in the streets, beat many big guys before. Bear asked if Kape thinks he could beat Izzy in a fight, he said "I think it bro? You crazy, I'm think it. Put him in front of me in the streets and we're gonna see".
Izzy apologised afterwards. Kape respects Izzy as a fighter.
Rampage says a lot of fighters are bitches, only takes fights they know they'll win (not like Kape).
53:45 - 55:30 - next fight. Kape fucked up and missed weight in January, UFC said he was gonna fight Pantoja in May if won in January. Was sick a lot in that time, couldn't make weight. Offered 50% of purse to opponent, but they didn't accept. Rampage said that's what he means, lot of fighters are bitches, says he would've accepted. Kape said "of course it's my fault I didn't do my job", but says in Singapore he fought an opponent who missed weight by 5lbs (think he means vs Bontorin, which was called off because Bontorin got hospitalised with kidney issues). Says the bit of weight doesn't make a difference, he doesn't understand it.
55:30 - 56:30 - Rampage said he accepted Randleman when Kevin missed weight and Kevin was surprised. Rampage didn't care.
56:30 - 59:30 - Kape says main goal is to fight for belt. But needs to have one more fight first. He stays positive, been in worse situations. Rampage says after Kape gets 125 belt he should go up because he'll get bigger as he gets older. Rampage thinks Kape is getting injured because of him keeping his weight down. Kape says he hurt his rib the week of weight-cutting. Rampage says TJ Dillashaw going to 125 was a similar situation.
Kape walks around at 160lbs. Kape says it's too much, wants to be walking around about 145-148lbs. Right now he's 153lbs.
Bear says Jalin Turner (LW) walks at 190-200lbs.
59:30 - 1:03:15 - diet and Islam. Kape's diet is more proteins and vegetables, not much carbs. But adds carbs back when feels weak or when injuries start. At time of Jaxxon interview Manel Kape was fasting for Ramadan. Kape says he's religious since he was young. Talks about ramadan (spending time with family, asking for forgiveness). Converting to Islam was a "new birth" and "new you", increased his discipline. Thinks it'll increase his career longevity.
Bear asks if he was Muslim during the Izzy press conference (lol), he says no.
Kape says things in world aren't right now.
1:03:15 - 1:04:30 next opponent. Doesn't have one yet, waiting for recovery. Probably May or June. Still feels pain when moving in training.
1:04:30 - Dana White relationship. Nothing bad. He recruited Kape from Rizin, link was via Mike Swick. Kape agrees UFC is the #1 promotion. Everyone wants to be there.
1:05:30 - 1:09:00 - retirement and food. Page asks if Kape wants to go back to playing soccer. Kape says no, he wants to open a Portuguese restaurant in Las Vegas, since it's his home now. Says American food isn't food, he likes it but he has more than that. Has it set up in his mind.
Loves Japanese food, knows how to make some but not sushi.
Rampage asks if he ate Octopus in Japan, makes puking noises. Kape says yes, loves seafood. Says he cooked fresh octopus. Rampage says his Japanese wife used to eat seafood while it was alive.
1:09:00 - 1:13:45 - talk about fasting and food. Rampage gets moody when fasting. Kape says he doesn't eat food like pizza or burgers, he likes real homemade food. Doesn't like to have cheat meals. Likes lamb. Likes steak medium-rare, got pissed off when he got a steak well done in a restaurant. Talks food in Japan and Thailand.
1:13:45 - three fighters he likes. Kape says he likes himself first, himself second too. Doesn't watch many fights.
1:14:00 - 1:18:00 - Boxing. wants to box after MMA, his dad and brothers are boxers. Not Jake Paul, but Jake Paul is a good fighter. Trained at Mayweather's gym, but now only trains boxing at Xtreme Corture. Didn't see Mayweather at the gym. It's a good, very professional environment, the dog house (Mayweather gym's hard sparring style). A lot of sparring in the gym, but Kape never sparred there, just did other training.
Talks Adrien Broner, Kape says he didn't hit the next level due to lack of discipline.
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