UFC 293 Main Card Receives New Matchup as UFC Newcomer Steps up to the Plate

Manel Kape will now fight Felipe Dos Santos on the main card of UFC 293 on September 10. Kape's original opponent Kai Kara-France withdrew with a concussion on August 21. The new fight was first reported by Guilherme Cruz on Twitter.

Santos (7-0-0 1NC) is a student of Chute Boxe Dhiego Lima, which is the same gym that Charles Oliveira trains from.

Santos faced back-to-back cancellations against Edgar Chairez and Luciano Pereira for the August 22 Dana White's Contender Series. In return for his plight, the UFC seem to have rewarded him with a once in a lifetime opportunity.

As a UFC debutant, Santos will be fighting for a position in the flyweight rankings. Kape is the current No.10 flyweight, so Santos gets the rare chance to jump immediately into the top-10.

Santos' booking is a symptom of a bigger issue, however. More and more the UFC appears to be booking debutants and regional talent to fight high-caliber fighters on short notice. It makes sense in terms of expense, but makes for a less engaging product.

Jack Della Maddalena faced a debutant despite receiving offers from several skilled welterweights. Similarly, Armen Tsarukyan, Movsar Evloev, and David Dvorak all fought debutants recently, despite other fighters eagerly vying for the chance to step in.

Santos could defy the odds and defeat Kape at UFC 293 to make for a massive underdog story. If not, then Kape was always meant to beat the debutant and the fight is essentially inconsequential.