Manel Kape has set his sights on heavyweight veteran Derrick Lewis after locking up the UFC flyweight knockout record. The callout marks an unusual cross-divisional challenge from the finishing specialist.
Manel Kape has called out heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis following a knockout victory that secured him the UFC flyweight knockout record, the Angola-born finisher announced on June 22, 2026.
Kape, nicknamed "StarBoy," carries a 23-7 record and sits ranked sixth in the flyweight division at age 32. Standing five-foot-five with a 68-inch reach, the southpaw out of Xtreme Couture has built his reputation entirely on finishing power. His numbers back that up — he lands 4.68 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate, exceptional output for the 125-pound class. Cementing the flyweight KO record only adds to a resume that already marked him as one of the most dangerous finishers in the division.
The target of his callout, Derrick Lewis, operates in an entirely different universe. "The Black Beast" competes at heavyweight, stands six-foot-three with a 79-inch reach, and holds a 29-14 record. The 41-year-old American, ranked eighth in the heavyweight division, holds the all-time UFC knockout record and has long been regarded as one of the sport's most feared one-punch threats. Lewis lands 2.46 significant strikes per minute with 49 percent accuracy, a lower volume than Kape but with considerably more destructive potential per blow given the weight differential.
Why it matters
- Kape's callout is cross-divisional, spanning roughly 115 pounds between flyweight and heavyweight limits
- Both fighters rank among the most prolific KO finishers in UFC history in their respective divisions
- A potential matchup would pit Kape's high-volume southpaw striking against Lewis's historically devastating power
- The callout raises Kape's profile regardless of whether the fight materializes, following his record-setting performance
