UFC on ESPN 73 post-event facts: Manel Kape ties flyweight KO record

The UFC's 2025 campaign is officially complete after Saturday's UFC on ESPN 73 fight card from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, which featured a handful of highlight moments but was largely a forgettable affair.

Manel Kape (21-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC) made sure to end the year and the UFC-ESPN era on a high note, however, because he used his hands to hurt Brandon Royval (17-9 MMA, 7-5 UFC) for a first-round TKO to elevate his name in the flyweight title picture – as well as the divisional record books.

For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for MMA Junkie's post-event facts from UFC on ESPN 73.

Event stats

The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $163,500.

Debuting fighters went 4-3 at the event.

Kape, Kevin Vallejos, Steven Asplund and Sean Sharaf earned $50,000 UFC on ESPN 73 fight-night bonuses.

The UFC sold VIP tickets to fans for UFC on ESPN 73, but the promotion did not make public the total number of tickets sold or the gate.

Betting favorites went 10-1 on the card. One fight ended in a draw.

Betting favorites improved to 24-16 (with one no contest and one even odds) in UFC headliners this year.

Total fight time for the 12-bout card was 1:53:04.

Manel Kape def. Brandon Royval

Kape has earned 19 of his 22 career victories by stoppage. That includes five of his seven UFC wins.

Kape's five knockout victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied with Joseph Benavidez for most in divisional history.

Royval has suffered two of his three career stoppage losses by knockout.

Kevin Vallejos def. Giga Chikadze

Kevin Vallejos (17-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has earned 14 of his 17 career victories by stoppage.

Vallejos has earned both of his UFC stoppage victories by knockout.

Vallejos earned the 12th knockout in UFC history stemming from a spinning backfist.

Giga Chikadze's (15-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn't earned a victory since August 2023.

Chikadze suffered the first knockout loss of his career.

Cezary Oleksiejczuk def. Cesar Almeida

Cesar Almeida (7-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC has suffered both of his career losses by decision.

Melquizael Costa def. Morgan Charriere

Melquizael Costa's (25-7 MMA, 6-2 UFC) six-fight UFC winning streak at featherweight is tied for the third-longest active streak in the division behind Lerone Murphy (nine) and Movsar Evloev (eight).

Costa became the second fighter to go 4-0 in 2025. Joshua Van also accomplished the feat.

Morgan Charriere (21-12-1 MMA, 3-3 UFC) suffered the first knockout loss of his career.

Marcus Buchecha vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu

Kennedy Nzechukwu (14-6-1 MMA, 8-6-1 UFC) is 2-1-1 since he moved up to the heavyweight division in October 2024.

King Green def. Lance Gibson Jr.

King Green (33-17-1 MMA, 14-12-1 UFC)

Lance Gibson Jr. (9-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) suffered the first decision loss of his career.

Yaroslav Amosov def. Neil Magny

Yaroslav Amosov (29-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned 20 of his 28 career victories by stoppage.

Steven Asplund def. Sean Sharaf

Steven Asplund (7-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned six of his seven career victories by stoppage. He's finished all of those wins by knockout.

Asplund's 170 significant strikes landed marked a new single-fight record for a three-round UFC heavyweight fight.

Asplund's 170 significant strikes landed are second-most in a UFC heavyweight fight behind Daniel Cormier's 181 landed vs. Stipe Miocic at UFC 241.

Sean Sharaf (4-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career 4-0.

Sharaf has suffered both of his career losses by knockout.

Luana Santos def. Melissa Croden

Melissa Croden (7-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has suffered all three of her career losses by decision.

Guilherme Pat def. Allen Frye Jr.

Allen Frye Jr. (6-1 MMA, 0-1 had his six-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.

Jamey-Lyn Horth def. Tereza Bleda

Jamey-Lyn Horth (9-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has earned six of nine career victories by stoppage.

Tereza Bleda (7-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) suffered the first stoppage loss of her career with a TKO defeat.

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on X @MJCflipdascript.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Vegas 112 post-event facts: Manel Kape ties flyweight KO record