The Herd with Colin Cowherd
The Daniel Cormier Show: DC Reacts to Manel Kape Knocking Out Brandon Royval, ESPN’s Final UFC Fight
Date: December 14, 2025
Overview
On this episode, UFC legend and analyst Daniel Cormier (“DC”) delivers a passionate, in-depth reaction to Manel Kape’s electrifying first-round knockout of Brandon Royval at the UFC Apex, reflecting on its implications for the flyweight division and what it means for Kape’s title hopes. DC also takes a moment to mark the end of the UFC’s long relationship with ESPN, sharing personal memories and evaluating the impact this broadcast partnership had on growing the sport.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Stakes Going into Kape vs. Royval
- With a new flyweight champion crowned (Joshua Van), the division is wide open for fresh contenders.
- Tetsuro Taira had built strong momentum and was being touted as the likely next title challenger.
- Cormier explains that while Taira had a great performance and presence on fight night, “the overwhelming sentiment was that Tetsuro Tyra was going to be next for the new champion, Joshua Van.”
[06:35]
2. Manel Kape’s Background and Career Narrative
- DC shares personal experience with Kape from his time training at AKA, always seeing him as “very, very special. But there was always a little something missing, right?”
[05:20] - For years, Kape has defeated top-tier opponents, but rarely in a way that left no doubt about his readiness for a title shot.
- Cormier emphasizes that Kape has “long been one of the best flyweights in the world… but he had these big fights [where] while he would win, it was never something that was so, like, ‘wow,’ that you were like, he should definitely be fighting for the belt.”
[05:50]
3. The Impactful KO—And Its Significance
- The Royval matchup was Kape’s most high-pressure scenario: he needed not just to win, but to impress.
- “Monel Kape knocks him out in one round, finishes him… side of the Octagon, hits him on the right hand. Herb Dean jumps in, stops the fight.”
[06:40] - Royval, barely removed from a “fight of the year” contender with current champ Van, is decisively finished by Kape—a mark of how quickly fortunes change in MMA.
- “It's crazy how fast this game turns on the fighters. It's insane.”
[07:27]
4. Kape’s Resume vs. the Title Shot Conversation
- Kape now ties the division’s record for most knockouts, sharing the distinction with Joseph Benavidez.
- “Nineteen of twenty-two fights that Manel Kape has had are finishes. Generally, a guy at that weight that finishes people at that rate would have already fought for the title.”
[09:40] - DC ponders the barriers to Kape’s title run: “What is making us not want to see Manel Kape given that opportunity? …If you aren’t ready to proclaim him the number one contender today, then you’re holding on to something more than the result.”
[10:10]
5. The Flyweight Title Picture: Taira vs. Kape
- While Tetsuro Taira’s win over former champ Brandon Moreno carries weight, Cormier argues Kape’s knockout over Royval is equally—if not more—impressive, especially as Taira himself had lost to Royval not long ago.
- “When you’re building the resume, that’s another thing that Kape and his team can say, ‘Hey, we just beat the guy who beat the guy.’ Why is it not my turn? I don't know.”
[12:00]
6. Potential Fireworks: Kape vs. Joshua Van
- Imagining the matchup, DC says: “Manel Kape and Joshua Van is a crazy fight because they’re both tremendous strikers. They’re both amazing strikers. And Van will make Manel fight… Joshua Van will make this into a fight, and that’s exactly where you see Manel involved in some fun fights.”
[12:41]
7. UFC’s Final Night on ESPN: Nostalgia and Reflection
- The night marked the last UFC card on ESPN, closing a seven-year broadcast era.
- DC shares emotion and gratitude, noting “I always say, no matter what they tell me, that little boy from Lafayette can always say, hey, I work for ESPN. There's a lot of pride in that because that is the network that we all grew up watching for our sports stuff.”
[13:44] - He acknowledges ESPN’s reach and impact: “The UFC on ESPN has really helped to elevate the UFC in a way that I don’t know that we would have been if not for the time spent at the Worldwide leader.”
[13:20] - Fittingly, the UFC’s ESPN run ends on a knockout: “I thought it was fitting last night that the ESPN deal ended with a knockout, because I believe that for the UFC, that’s exactly what that partnership has been.”
[14:40]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Kape’s Title Readiness:
“If you aren’t ready to proclaim him the number one contender today, then you’re holding on to something more than the result.”
— Daniel Cormier [10:10] -
On the Sudden Shifts in MMA:
“It’s crazy how fast this game turns on the fighters. It’s insane.”
— Daniel Cormier [07:27] -
On Kape’s Finishing Ability:
“Nineteen of twenty-two fights that Manell Kape has had are finishes. Generally, a guy at that weight that finishes people at that rate would have already fought for the title…”
— Daniel Cormier [09:40] -
On His ESPN Pride:
“That little boy from Lafayette can always say, ‘Hey, I work for ESPN.’ There’s a lot of pride in that because that is the network that we all grew up watching for our sports stuff.”
— Daniel Cormier [13:44] -
On UFC’s Time with ESPN:
“I believe that the UFC on ESPN has really helped to elevate the UFC in a way that I don’t know that we would have been if not for the time spent at the Worldwide leader.”
— Daniel Cormier [13:20]
Key Timestamps
- [05:20] – Cormier’s personal experience with Kape and early assessment
- [06:35] – Tetsuro Taira as presumed title challenger; how the fight played into divisional politics
- [06:40] – Kape’s knockout of Royval described in detail
- [07:27] – Observation on the unpredictable, cruel nature of MMA
- [09:40] – Kape’s finishing stats and their significance
- [10:10] – The central question: What is keeping Kape from a title shot?
- [12:00] – Resume debate: Kape vs. Taira, and what “beating the guy that beat the guy” means
- [12:41] – Anticipating a Kape vs. Van title fight
- [13:20] – Reflections on the impact of the UFC-ESPN partnership
- [14:40] – Sentimental close on why ending on a knockout was “fitting” for ESPN’s era
Summary Flow & Tone
Daniel Cormier brings his usual blend of deep technical insight and heartfelt storytelling, combining tactical fight breakdowns with big-picture thinking. His voice throughout the episode is earnest, passionate, and clearly appreciative of both the fighters and the broader MMA journey. The episode shifts seamlessly from divisional analysis to media nostalgia, making it essential for any fan interested in both what happens inside the cage—and behind the scenes.
For more post-fight reactions and analysis, follow DC on his YouTube channel as he transitions exclusively to Paramount for future coverage.