Final UFC fight of the year revealed as ESPN era comes to a close

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Mathew Riddle | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 6:04 PM ET

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UFC's final fight of 2025- and the last ESPN-era UFC fight -will be a potential title eliminator at the UFC APEX this December.

UFC Boss Dana White and the promotion announced their $7.7 billion, seven-year US broadcast deal with Paramount+ earlier this year, set to kick off in 2026. It could mean the end of the pay-per-view model, but that remains to be seen.

It does mean that the UFC's final event of 2025 is their final event on ESPN, and it's headlined by a great flyweight title eliminator.

UFC Paris this weekend loses a major top contender fight

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape set to headline UFC's final 2025 event

As reported by Marcel Dorff on X, the UFC's final fight of the year will be Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape in the flyweight division. Royval was the No. 1-flyweight contender up until his loss to Joshua Van at UFC 317 in June, and Kape is one good win away from title contention.

Their fight will be a main event at the UFC APEX for UFC Vegas 112 on December 13. It's not the glamorous backdrop fans would like to see from the final event on ESPN, but it's a good fight no-less.

#UFCVegas112

The final UFC fight of 2025 takes place on December 13th. Brandon Royval takes on Manel Kape in the main event of #UFCVegas112 in Las Vegas, Nevada. pic.twitter.com/5SKzcU6WRx
— Marcel Dorff (@BigMarcel24) September 1, 2025

No other fights have been confirmed for the event.

Last-chance saloon for Manel Kape?

If you haven't heard of top-ranked flyweight fighter Manel Kape, that's because he's hardly in the Octagon. 'Star Boy' was set to debut in 2020, before his fight was delayed until 2021. Since then, he's had nine fights, winning six, with nine cancellations. As such, his path to the title has been arduous and slow, and this will be his third booking against Royval.

Another cancellation, or a decisive loss, could see Kape ejected from the flyweight title picture for the foreseeable future.

Stay tuned for more UFC Vegas 112 updates.