Former UFC title challenger OUT of his fight at upcoming UFC 293 Sydney PPV
The UFC 293 pay-per-view event has taken another hit. Former flyweight title challenger Kai Kara-France has been forced to pull out of his highly anticipated bout against Manel Kape due to a medical issue.
As a high-profile regional fighter, the New Zealand native was among the biggest names competing on the Sydney card. Unfortunately, it seems Kara-France suffered a concussion while training, and after consulting medical professionals, ‘Don’t Blink’ has decided to pull out of his UFC 293 bout.
Taking to social media to announce the unfortunate news, Kai Kara-France apologized to fight fans and stated:
“I just wanted to come on here and give you guys an update. Unfortunately, I’ve had to withdraw from my next fight in Sydney, Australia at UFC 293. I suffered a concussion over the weekend in training. I’ve been speaking to my coaches, my team, and my family, they all think it’s the right decision to put my health first.”
He continued:
“I just want to say sorry to all the friends and family that bought tickets, flights, accommodation… I’m gutted I won’t be a part of this card. It’s been a tough week with my second son being born as well as me pulling out of this fight. Mixed emotions. Frustrated…I appreciate the ongoing support and we’ll be back soon. Much love.”
UFC 293 updates: Kai Kara-France to be replaced by newcomer Felipe Dos Santos
Manel Kape will compete at UFC 293 as scheduled. After Kai Kara-France pulled out of his bout against Kape, the UFC has reportedly decided to replace him with newcomer Felipe Dos Santos.
As per an initial report by MMA Fighting, the Brazilian has agreed to step in on short notice. Dos Santos was initially slated to face Luciano Pereira at Dana White’s Contender Series but Pereira was forced to withdraw due to medical concerns. While both sides have agreed to fight at UFC 293, contracts have yet to be signed.
Felipe Dos Santos is a teammate of former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira at Chute Boxe Diego Lima. He is 7-0 as a professional fighter with one no-contest on his record. He last defeated Hugo Paiva via unanimous decision under the LFA banner in November 2022.
Meanwhile, Manel Kape is on a three-fight winning streak. After joining the UFC in February 2021, he lost two consecutive fights against Alexandre Pantoja and Matheus Nicolau. After that, Kape went on to defeat Ode Osbourne, Zhalgas Zhumagulov, and David Dvorak. While the No.10-ranked flyweight was undoubtedly looking forward to facing a top-five-ranked opponent, he must settle for welcoming a newcomer to the UFC.
