UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Kape Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Kape
United States
Main Card • Final
Portugal
R1, 3:18
Performance of the Night
Argentina
R2, 1:29
Performance of the Night
Georgia
Poland
R3, 5:00
Brazil
R1, 1:14
France
Nigeria
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Canada
Prelims • Final
Ukraine
R1, 3:14
R3, 5:00
Australia
R2, 3:49
Fight of the Night
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
R1, 2:05
Czechia
Official Event Results
$50k POTN
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night ($50,000 each): Heavyweights Steven Asplund and Sean Sharaf traded 236 combined significant strikes in under two rounds of brutal action, with Asplund scoring a second-round TKO in one of the highest-volume heavyweight bouts in UFC history.
Performance of the Night ($50,000 each): Manel Kape blitzed former flyweight championship challenger Brandon Royval with a clinical first-round knockout at 3:18, while Argentina’s Kevin Vallejos halted ranked contender Giga Chikadze with a sensational spinning backfist and follow-up elbows in Round 2.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| DRAW | — | — | — | — | |
| DRAW | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | $50,000 | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — |
*Official fighter base purses and contractual win bonuses for events held at the UFC Apex are not publicly released by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Disclosed figures reflect official post-fight performance bonus awards ($50,000 each for Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night). Undisclosed contractual payments are designated by —.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records & Milestones at UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Kape
UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Kape served as the final live telecast under the UFC’s seven-year domestic media rights agreement with ESPN before transitioning broadcast rights to Paramount+ in 2026.
Manel Kape recorded his fifth UFC knockout victory, dropping #3-ranked former title challenger Brandon Royval and finishing him with ground strikes in just 3:18 of Round 1.
Steven Asplund shattered heavyweight statistical records by landing 170 significant strikes against Sean Sharaf in just under nine minutes of action, capturing Fight of the Night honors.
Steven Asplund (170) and Sean Sharaf (66) combined for 236 significant strikes before the referee waved off the contest at 3:49 of Round 2, setting a modern UFC heavyweight record.
Argentina’s Kevin Vallejos halted ranked contender Giga Chikadze with a sensational spinning backfist and follow-up elbows at 1:29 of Round 2, claiming a $50,000 performance bonus.
Kennedy Nzechukwu and Marcus Buchecha fought to a rare 28-28 unanimous draw after Nzechukwu was penalized one point in Round 2 for an accidental eye poke.
Thomas Petersen landed all 9 of his attempted takedowns and logged 13 minutes and 49 seconds of control time over Don’Tale Mayes, resulting in dominant 30-25 and 30-26 scorecards.
Promotional newcomer Cezary Oleksiejczuk stifled Cesar Almeida for 11:15 of mat control, sweeping all three judges’ scorecards (30–27 x3) in a composed Octagon debut.
Melquizael Costa needed just 1:14 of the opening round to knock out France’s Morgan Charriere with a devastating left head kick, delivering one of the fastest finishes of 2025.
Former Bellator welterweight world champion Yaroslav Amosov made a statement in his UFC debut, submitting veteran Neil Magny with an anaconda choke at 3:14 of Round 1.
Luana Santos completed 3 takedowns and controlled 9:21 of the contest against Melissa Croden, securing her fourth consecutive UFC victory via unanimous decision.
Canada’s Jamey-Lyn Horth blitzed Tereza Bledá with 16 significant strikes in just over two minutes, earning a swift TKO victory at 2:05 of Round 1.
When and where did UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Kape take place?
UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Kape took place on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at the UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada (Las Vegas Valley).
Who won the main event between Brandon Royval and Manel Kape?
Manel Kape defeated Brandon Royval via knockout (punches) at 3:18 of Round 1, earning a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Who won the co-main event between Giga Chikadze and Kevin Vallejos?
Argentina’s Kevin Vallejos defeated Giga Chikadze via TKO (spinning backfist and elbows) at 1:29 of Round 2 in an impressive featherweight co-main event showing.
What bonuses were awarded at UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Kape?
Four fighters received $50,000 post-fight bonuses: Steven Asplund vs. Sean Sharaf earned Fight of the Night, while Manel Kape and Kevin Vallejos each received Performance of the Night honors.
Why was this event historically significant for UFC broadcasting?
UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Kape served as the final live broadcast under the UFC’s seven-year media rights deal with ESPN before the promotion’s coverage transitioned to Paramount+ in 2026.
Why did Steven Asplund vs. Sean Sharaf win Fight of the Night?
Asplund and Sharaf engaged in a frantic heavyweight striking slugfest, trading 236 combined significant strikes before Asplund sealed a TKO victory at 3:49 of Round 2.
Why did Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Marcus Buchecha end in a draw?
The heavyweight bout concluded in an official unanimous draw (28–28, 28–28, 28–28) after referee Mark Smith deducted one point from Nzechukwu in Round 2 due to an accidental eye poke.
How did Melquizael Costa defeat Morgan Charriere?
Melquizael Costa landed a blistering left head kick that cleanly dropped Morgan Charriere, scoring a walk-off knockout in just 1:14 of Round 1.
How did Yaroslav Amosov perform in his UFC debut?
Former Bellator champion Yaroslav Amosov made a flawless promotional debut, submitting seasoned veteran Neil Magny with an anaconda choke at 3:14 of Round 1.
What were the judges’ scores for Thomas Petersen vs. Don’Tale Mayes?
Thomas Petersen earned a one-sided unanimous decision victory with scores of 30–25, 30–26, and 30–26 after completing 9 takedowns and maintaining nearly 14 minutes of control time.
Who won the middleweight bout between Cezary Oleksiejczuk and Cesar Almeida?
Poland’s Cezary Oleksiejczuk controlled Almeida on the mat for over 11 minutes to secure a unanimous decision sweep (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).
How did King Green defeat Lance Gibson Jr.?
King Green utilized high-volume boxing (65 significant strikes) to edge out Lance Gibson Jr. via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) in their 160-pound catchweight bout.
How did Joanderson Brito defeat Isaac Thomson?
Joanderson Brito executed 8 takedowns and logged nearly 8 minutes of ground control to capture a unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) victory.
What was the result of Luana Santos vs. Melissa Croden?
Luana Santos earned a unanimous decision victory (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) over Melissa Croden behind 9:21 of dominant top position and clinch control.
How many bouts took place on this card?
The event concluded a full 12 bouts, consisting of 6 main card matchups and 6 preliminary card contests.
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