Manel Kape: Muhammad Mokaev wanted a big test, 'I'm the biggest test of this division'

Manel Kape warns Muhammad Mokaev to be careful what he wishes for.

Kape (19-6 MMA, 4-2 UFC) takes on Mokaev (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in the UFC 304 main card July 27 at Co-op Live in Manchester, England.

Constantly eager for a step up in competition, Mokaev will get that in former Rizin champion Kape. Their flyweight fight is expected to be a No. 1 contender bout, and Kape plans on showing the undefeated contender that he is the next level.

“There always has to be a bad blood because he is coming to take what is mine,” Kape told Inside Fighting. “I’m coming to take what is yours, so there is no peace, by the way, between me and my opponents. Only after the fight, there is peace, but before that, there is no peace. We all want to win. There is no beef between me and Mokaev.

“Mokaev in the past, he wanted to fight me so much, he tweeted a lot about fighting me. OK, he wants to fight the best. He wants to prove to his fans, the UFC, everybody that he’s ready for the big dog. Since Day 1 that he joined the UFC, he’s been calling out many fighters. He fights, he wins. He wanted a big test because I’m the biggest test of this division, so there you go. You ask for something, they deliver. Let’s see if he’s capable to deal with that.”

Mokaev has finished four of his six octagon wins. Kape acknowledges his skills, but isn’t ready to shower him with praise just yet.

“I can’t say he impressed me because it’s very difficult for someone to impress me, but he’s doing well. I’m not impressed because I see a lot of mistakes that show the difference between an excellent fighter and a championship material.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.