The results from UFC Vegas 112 reveal a night packed with intense battles and surprising turnarounds—yet the fight everyone’s talking about is the showdown between Royval and Kape. But here’s where it gets controversial: while the headlines often focus on the winners, the real story lies in how these fighters’ performances reshape the flyweight landscape. Want to know who rose, who fell, and what this means for future matchups? Keep reading.
Bryan Tucker, the seasoned managing editor-in-chief of MMA Fighting and the head of combat sports at SB Nation, has been steering MMA coverage since 2009. His insights help us understand the significance of each fight, especially when it comes to the UFC Vegas 112 card, held at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas last Saturday night.
The headliner featured a high-stakes flyweight clash between Brandon Royval and Manel Kape. Royval, currently ranked No. 3 in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, entered the fight riding momentum—he had secured three wins in his last five bouts. Kape, not far behind at No. 6, was riding a streak of six wins out of his last seven fights, making this a highly anticipated encounter. It’s worth noting that rankings aren’t just numbers—they reflect the fighters’ current form and can signal shifts in the division’s hierarchy.
In the co-main event, Giga Chikadze looked to bounce back after a two-fight losing streak. Facing Kevin Vallejos, who boasts an impressive 16-1 record and had already claimed wins in his initial UFC appearances, Chikadze’s performance was crucial for reigniting his momentum in the featherweight division.
Below is a rundown of the full UFC Vegas 112 lineup, showcasing the fighters and matchups that kept fans on the edge of their seats:
Main Card (aired on ESPN2/ESPN+ starting at 10 p.m. ET):
- Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape
- Giga Chikadze vs. Kevin Vallejos
- Cesar Almeida vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk
- Melquizael Costa vs. Morgan Charriere
- Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Marcus Buchecha
- King Green vs. Lance Gibson Jr.
Preliminary Card (aired earlier on ESPN2/ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET):
- Amanda Lemos vs. Gillian Robertson
- Joanderson Brito vs. Isaac Thomson
- Neil Magny vs. Yaroslav Amosov
- Sean Sharaf vs. Steven Asplund
- Melissa Croden vs. Luana Santos
- Allen Frye vs. Guilherme Pat
- Jamey-Lyn Horth vs. Tereza Bleda
This lineup not only highlights the fighters’ skill and resilience but also underscores how each bout can potentially shake up the division rankings. And this is the part most people miss—each fight, win or lose, contributes to the evolving story of these martial artists and the division as a whole.
So, what do you think about the current state of the flyweight division after UFC Vegas 112? Do you agree with the rankings? Or do you believe some fighters are overrated or underrated? Let’s get the conversation going—this division’s future is definitely worth debating.
