Manel Kape has always carried an intensity that feels bigger than the flyweight division. Ranked #6 in the UFC and preparing to face Brandon Royval at UFC Vegas 112, the Angolan-Portuguese star has spent the past year drawing as much attention outside the cage as inside it. But while fans talk about his resurgence, his power, and even his verbal fireworks at press conferences, one moment early in 2024 stood out above the rest: the day he announced a new faith and a new name.

The revelation surprised many, as in a sport where identity and discipline shape careers, his decision to embrace Islam added a new chapter to his already unpredictable journey. So what exactly changed for “Starboy,” and why did he choose a spiritual path that altered how the MMA world sees him?

Did Manel Kape convert to Islam? His new name Musa Masha’Allah explained

Born to Anglo-Portuguese parents, Kape has always been a Christian. However, when he started his MMA career, his belief dwindled when he met Ali Abdelaziz and his team. So is Manel Kape a Muslim now? Well, the short answer to that question is yes. Kape changed his religion back in January 2024

As per Abdelaziz, Kape’s new name is Musa Masha’Allah (which is Moisis in Arabic). Now that his religious identity is clear, the next question is simple: where did this journey begin, and how did his roots shape the fighter we see today?

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Why Manel Kape embraced Islam and the influence of Team Khabib

The͏ n͏ews ͏about his co͏n͏ve͏r͏sion͏͏ was first brok͏en by Khabi͏b N͏ur͏magomedov’s ma͏nager, Al͏i Abdelaziz. The m͏a͏na͏ger too͏k to h͏is Instag͏r͏am to share an͏ im͏͏age of t͏h͏e ͏two of ͏t͏he͏m, c͏ap͏͏tioning i͏t as ͏fo͏llows: “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God’” Abdelaziz’s story was later reshared by Manel Kape as he confirmed that he had started following the path of Islam.

After the conversation, Kape got a new name that we mentioned above. The real reason for his sudden change of mind is yet to be known, but it should be noted that Kape, or rather Musa, shares a close relationship with Team Khabib. It could be a possibility that their disciplined and devout lifestyle might have influenced him to accept Islam.

Months have passed since his conversion, and Kape or Musa still goes out for prayers with Abdelaziz. Now that we know about his religion, let’s have a close look at his ethnicity and background.

Manel Kape traces his roots back to the African continent. The fighter was born on November 14, 1993, in the Angolan capital city of Luanda. Despite being Angolan, Kape is actually mostly Portuguese. Very little is known about Kape’s backstory and background, but the fighter claims that he started to learn boxing at the age of four. His father is a former world champion.

As a result, he had always been interested in learning how to combat. So he soon started to box and then started training in MMA by the age of thirteen. Before embracing his journey in the realm of the UFC, Manel Kape was the former bantamweight champion of the Rizin championship.

Kape is one of the many fighters who have converted to Islam, as another notable entrant on the list was boxing star Gervonta Davis, who took the name ‘Abdul Wahid.’ But what comes next? As Kape heads toward UFC Vegas 112, will this spiritual grounding give him the edge he needs to push further into title contention? Or will the pressures of a stacked flyweight division test every part of this new journey?