Athletes
Kyoji Horiguchi | The Smiling Assassin
They Say Winners Are Grinners, And Kyoji Horiguchi Plans On Proving It By Smiling All His Way To The UFC Flyweight Title.
Flyweight contender Kyoji Horiguchi is happy to be back in the UFC, but don’t let his broad grin mislead you – he’s on a ruthless, relentless pursuit of championship gold.
Japanese MMA icon Horiguchi is in his second stint in the UFC and finds himself potentially as little as one win away from a shot at the undisputed flyweight title currently held by Joshua Van.
Watch Every UFC Event On Paramount+
Horiguchi fought his way to a flyweight title shot during his first UFC run and eventually succumbed to a last-second armbar by pound-for-pound great Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson at UFC 186.
That fight was more than a decade ago, and now, after capturing the inaugural flyweight and bantamweight titles for Japanese organization RIZIN Fighting Federation, as well as the Bellator bantamweight title, Horiguchi has returned to the ultimate proving ground and is looking to add the biggest prize in the sport to his already packed trophy cabinet.
Kyoji Horiguchi Fight Week Interview | UFC Fight Night Horiguchi vs Kape
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Kyoji Horiguchi Fight Week Interview | UFC Fight Night Horiguchi vs Kape
/
Since his UFC return, Horiguchi has claimed back-to-back wins over Tagir Ulanbekov and Amir Albazi to elevate him back into the UFC’s flyweight elite. Now ranked fifth at 125 pounds, Horiguchi takes on the No. 2-ranked contender Manel Kape in Saturday night’s main event at Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
RELATED: Manel Kape Wants A Championship Opportunity | A Rematch Nine Years In The Making | Main Event Preview
It’s a huge opportunity for Horiguchi to burst into championship contention, and he revealed that he was delighted to be given the chance to take on Kape this weekend.
“It was like a shock, you know? In a happy way,” he said.“Shocked like, ‘Oh! Really?!’ Something like that!”
A veteran of 41 career fights, Saturday will be Horiguchi’s 11th UFC contest, so this is far from his first rodeo.
He’s faced all styles during his storied career, including Kape, whom he defeated via third-round arm-triangle choke in the semifinals of RIZIN FF’s Bantamweight Grand Prix back in 2017.
“Honestly, I don’t remember (the fight). I got head-butted!” he grinned.
FIGHT WEEK INTERVIEWS: Andre Fili | Mitch Raposo | Manel Kape | Bia Mesquita | Navajo Stirling
But, despite perhaps being a little coy over his memories of his win over Kape the first time around, Horiguchi knows that the man he’ll face on Saturday night will be a significantly upgraded version of the fighter he took on in Saitama nine years ago.
“He has a lot of confidence right now,” he said. “He used to be more natural in his movement. But now he has technique, and that’s a big difference.”
That different skill set requires different preparation, with Horiguchi and his team at American Top Team leaving no stone unturned to make sure he’s fully briefed on the challenge ahead.
“It’s a different preparation. He’s a very different fighter,” he said. “He likes striking, so he will come in (looking to) strike, of course. He’s not the same opponent. It’s like a new opponent. And also, he has good striking and good takedown defense, so I’ll focus on mixing up everything and using everything. Then I will finish him.”
ICYMI: Dana White Announces Two Title Fights For UFC's Return To Philadelphia
On paper, it looks like a title eliminator-type contest, but Horiguchi hasn’t been given any guarantees ahead of the matchup. All he can do is step into the Octagon and make himself undeniable, and that’s exactly what he intends to do.
“I think (it’s a title eliminator), but I don’t know,” he admitted. “I can’t decide – the UFC decides everything. So that’s why I need to get a good win, by finish, by submission, anyway. A good finish. But it’s a tough fight. Whether it’s a decision or a finish, it doesn’t matter. I will get the win.”
In theory, claiming victory over the No. 2-ranked contender should automatically put Horiguchi within striking distance of a title fight, but he knows that the best way to secure the shot is to do so in entertaining, emphatic fashion.
Balancing the desire to entertain while being defensively responsible enough to ensure that a decision win is the minimum outcome is the tricky part – and it’s one that drew a big laugh as he recalled driving his corner crazy with his gung-ho fighting style in pursuit of the finish against Albazi last time out.
ANNOUNCEMENT: UFC Returns To Shanghai On August 29
“Of course, I need an exciting fight, but sometimes you have to be smart,” he said. “My coach (Mike Brown) always says that. My last fight, all the time, ‘No! You have to pressure! Blah! Blah! Blah!’ But I’m not listening, haha! That’s why he gets mad every time!”
But, facing a familiar opponent, with the potential of a title shot up for grabs for the winner, all the pieces are in place for Horiguchi to make one big step towards his UFC title dream.
Despite the high stakes and the world-class opposition standing across the Octagon from him, the Japanese fan favorite still managed to raise a smile as he described what will be going through his mind as he makes his walk to the Octagon on Saturday night.
“I want to finish him!” he declared, then burst into laughter.
UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi took place live from Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 20, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!