UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape (21-7) is set to close out his year in the Octagon this weekend, though past controversies continue to shadow him. On 13 January, UFC and ESPN will come together one final time at the UFC Apex, where sixth-ranked Kape will take on second-ranked contender Brandon Royval. Returning after a nine-month absence, the Portuguese star is looking to inch closer to a title shot. However, his 2022 drug controversy has resurfaced ahead of the fight.

A pre-fight photoshoot of Manel Kape recently went viral on social media, showing his pectoral area unusually swollen. Naturally, the images sparked discussions around gynecomastia, with one page comparing ‘Starboy’s condition to former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.

“Never thought I’d say it, but Kape looks like he’s got worse gyno ti–ies than Adesanya 👀😭” – redWolfMMA

Back in 2020, during UFC 253 when Israel Adesanya faced Paulo Costa, the MMA world was already buzzing with whispers about potential PED use. At that time, the Kiwi-Nigerian star claimed smoking weed caused his condition.

“To be honest it might have just been unhealthy living a little bit. Like smoking weed, that’s what the doctor from the UFC said,” Adesanya said.

Now, fans are scrutinizing Manel Kape in a similar way after testing reportedly detected traces of banned substances in his blood.

Fans compare Kape’s gynecomastia to Israel Adesanya’s ahead of UFC Vegas 112

Back in 2022, while Manel Kape competed on the prelims card, troubling news emerged ahead of his bout against Sumudaerji. The tests showed ‘Starboy’ positive for the trenbolone metabolite, a substance previously linked to fighters like Jon Jones. At the same time, a fan recalling the past allegations commented, “he’s actually popped for steroids before unlike Adesanya lol.”

In contrast, Israel Adesanya shut down claims of PED use after a similar controversy. He took blood tests and underwent two MRI scans of his pituitary gland to investigate a swollen and painful right pectoral muscle. In the end, the tests, including estrogen and testosterone levels, all came back normal. USADA has regularly tested Adesanya, and he never failed a test, unlike Manel Kape.

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At the time, Adesanya attributed his condition to personal habits like marijuana, though doctors found no connection. A fan commented on Kape’s condition, “Maybe Kape will say his was because of w–d too.”

Still, some fans see the situation differently. One fan commented, “Both black bois juicing,” applying the same lens to both Kape and Adesanya. Israel Adesanya has consistently denied any PED use and even offered $3 million in June to anyone who could provide “concrete evidence” of him using PEDs, but no one has proven anything.

Meanwhile, some fans criticized the UFC for highlighting an unflattering photo of Manel Kape from a side angle, which made his gynecomastia appear more pronounced. A fan wrote, “Absolutely cruel for the UFC to pick the photo that most clearly shows Kape’s steroid gyno.”

This is not the first time fans have compared Manel Kape to Israel Adesanya. Back in March, ahead of his fight against Asu Almabayev, fans mocked the Angolan-born star on social media for his condition, commenting, “Kape and his gyno💀 just like Izzy.” Earlier, ‘Starboy’s rival and former UFC fighter Muhammad Mokaev publicly criticized him, calling the Portuguese star a “dirty fighter.”

The duo fought last year at UFC 304, where Mokaev won. Later, Dana White and Co. released Mokaev for his “problematic” behavior. However, not all fans take the condition as a joke. One commented, “Wtf are you on about.. they’re in shape..”

Although USADA detected banned substances in Manel Kape’s blood, the commission did not suspend him. The NSAC instead issued guidelines, which Kape successfully met. After fulfilling all requirements, he returned to the Octagon without any failed tests.

What do you think of fans’ reactions to Manel Kape’s condition? Do you believe there is something suspicious going on? Share your opinion below.