Ode Osbourne has a new opponent and date.
Earlier this week, the UFC announced that Manel Kape with fight Osbourne at UFC 265 on August 7. Osbourne was originally scheduled to fight Amir Albazi later this month at UFC Vegas 31; however, Albazi withdrew from the fight. This fight will also be “The Jamaican Sensation’s” flyweight debut.
Osbourne (9-3) rebounded from his UFC debut submission loss against Brian Kelleher in spectacular fashion in February. He knocked Jerome Rivera out in under 30 seconds in the very first round. In his post-fight interview, Osbourne announced he would be dropping to flyweight.
Kape (15-6) will be in desperation mode when he fights Osbourne in August and most likely fighting for his job. The former RIZIN champion made his long-awaited UFC debut in February but lost a lackluster unanimous decision to Alexandre Pantoja. “Starboy” would return a month later and lose a very close split decision to a returning Matheus Nicolau. Kape has yet to live up to the wild expectations set on him, but he has a chance with Osbourne as an opponent because the Jamaican fighter brings it every time.
UFC 265 will take place at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, on Saturday, August 7, 2021, and will be headlined by Derrick Lewis vs. Ciryl Gane.
The full UFC 265 Fight Card:
- Ciryl Gane vs. Derrick Lewis
- Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena
- Ed Herman vs. Alonzo Menifield
- Jose Aldo vs. Pedro Munhoz
- Vince Morales vs. Drako Rodriguez
- Johnny Munoz vs. Jamey Simmons
- Casey Kenney vs. Song Yadong
- Angela Hill vs. Tecia Torres
- Michael Chiesa vs. Vicente Luque
- Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Jessica Penne
- Manel Kape vs. Ode Osbourne
