Patryk Stachowiak
The final UFC event of 2025 — and the end of the ESPN era — is shaping up to be a barnburner. UFC on ESPN 73: Royval vs. Kape closes out the year with a stacked card featuring flyweight fireworks, veteran wars, and high-stakes debuts.
From Brandon Royval’s comeback clash with Manel Kape to Yaroslav Amosov’s long-awaited UFC debut, fight fans are getting one last taste of chaos before the promotion transitions its U.S. broadcast rights to Paramount Skydance in 2026.
Date: Saturday, December 13, 2025
Venue: UFC Apex, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Broadcast: ESPN2 / ESPN+
Main Event: Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape
The headliner sees two of the most explosive flyweights on the planet finally lock horns after multiple cancellations. Brandon “Raw Dawg” Royval, a former title challenger and all-action striker, faces Manel “Starboy” Kape, the former RIZIN champion who’s been red-hot in the UFC.
Originally scheduled twice before, this fight has been a long time coming. Royval (16-7) returned earlier this year only to fall short against Joshua Van, while Kape (21-6) has won six of his last seven, including a highlight-reel TKO over Asu Almabayev.
This is more than a matchup — it’s a collision of chaos. Expect spinning elbows, blitzing combinations, and scrambles at a pace only flyweights can deliver.
Co-Main Event: Giga Chikadze vs. Kevin Vallejos
Featherweight fireworks follow as Georgian striking savant Giga Chikadze returns to face Argentina’s Kevin Vallejos. Chikadze’s “Giga Kick” remains one of the deadliest weapons in the division, while Vallejos rides a wave of momentum after back-to-back wins on Dana White’s Contender Series and a dominant UFC debut.
This co-main promises a technical showcase — sharp footwork, clean striking, and real knockout potential.
Main Card (10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT – ESPN2 & ESPN+)
| Weight Class | Matchup |
|---|---|
| Flyweight | Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape |
| Featherweight | Giga Chikadze vs. Kevin Vallejos |
| Middleweight | César Almeida vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk |
| Featherweight | Melquizael Costa vs. Morgan Charrière |
| Heavyweight | Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida |
Preliminary Card (7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT – ESPN+)
| Weight Class | Matchup |
|---|---|
| Women’s Strawweight | Amanda Lemos vs. Gillian Robertson |
| Featherweight | Joanderson Brito vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan |
| Welterweight | Neil Magny vs. Yaroslav Amosov |
| Heavyweight | Sean Sharaf vs. Steven Asplund |
| Women’s Bantamweight | Melissa Croden vs. Luana Santos |
| Heavyweight | Allen Frye vs. Guilherme Pat |
| Women’s Flyweight | Jamey-Lyn Horth vs. Tereza Bledá |
Feature Storyline: Amosov Makes His UFC Debut
All eyes will be on Yaroslav Amosov as the former Bellator welterweight king steps into the Octagon for the first time. The Ukrainian sambo ace brings a stunning 28-1 record and an elite grappling pedigree, and his opponent, Neil Magny, is a perfect litmus test. Magny holds the record for most welterweight wins in UFC history and has been finishing fights again at 38.
Amosov is a favorite, but Magny’s experience makes this a compelling stylistic clash. Can “The Dynamo” impose his wrestling dominance in the UFC, or will Magny’s length and resilience spoil the debut?
Also read: Neil Magny vs Yaroslav Amosov Odds, Prediction & Betting Analysis
Key Undercard Notes
- Women’s Strawweight Shakeup: Amanda Lemos replaces Iasmin Lucindo, who was suspended following a failed anti-doping test. Lemos, a former title challenger, steps in against grappling specialist Gillian Robertson.
- Heavyweight Collision: Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida — multiple-time BJJ world champion — returns to MMA after an injury layoff, meeting the always-dangerous Kennedy Nzechukwu.
- Prospect Spotlight: Brazil’s Luana Santos and Canada’s Melissa Croden meet in a battle of surging bantamweights. Both come in off TKO wins.
Event Significance
This marks the final UFC event broadcast on ESPN, closing a six-year media partnership that helped transform the sport’s visibility. Starting in 2026, the UFC will move its U.S. broadcasts to Paramount Skydance in a new rights deal reportedly worth $2.4 billion.
It’s fitting that the ESPN era ends at the UFC Apex, where the company produced dozens of events during the pandemic and beyond. Expect a nostalgic yet electric atmosphere as fighters and fans bid farewell to a defining chapter of MMA history.