Mullins suffers more heartbreak in UFC return; Kape avenges 2017 loss
British bantamweight Melissa Mullins was submitted in the first round by Brazilian Bia Mesquita in Las Vegas. In the main event, Manuel Kape knocked out Kyoji Horiguchi, settling a decade-old rivalry.
Mullins's disappointment
Melissa Mullins, 34, faced another setback in her UFC career on Saturday when she was submitted in the first round on her return to the octagon in Las Vegas. Her opponent, Brazilian Bia Mesquita, is a world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
This fight came four months after Mullins was in tears on the scales at UFC London, where her hometown bout was cancelled when her opponent failed to make weight. Mullins started strong, pressuring Mesquita with heavy strikes and landing a big left hand that badly wobbled the Brazilian, making it seem like the British fighter was on track for a major win over an undefeated opponent.
However, Mullins took the fight to the ground, where Mesquita, a world champion in her discipline, bought time to recover before locking in an armbar that forced Mullins to tap out.
"For me I performed like I had never before. Ended up in the game of a female who is the best of what she does," Mullins said after the loss. "I couldn't be happier with my camp or performance prior to the result. Hate this game but love fighting." Mullins now holds a 7-3 record in the UFC since her debut in 2023.
Main event
In the night's main event, Manuel Kape ended a decade-long wait for revenge when he knocked out Kyoji Horiguchi in the third round of their flyweight contest. Kape had lost to Horiguchi in 2017.
"Kyoji's an amazing fighter, maybe the best fighter I ever fought in my life. I want to be like him and if I'm here in this position it's because of Kyoji," Kape said. "One thing about me, I never give up." Kape now hopes for a title fight against Joshua Van.
