The Scorecard | UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi

Manel Kape has long been considered one of the most dangerous men in the world at 125 pounds, but championship glory at the very highest level has eluded him so far. After Saturday night’s victory over Kyoji Horiguchi, that may about to change.

Hear What Manel Kape Had To Say Backstage After His Knockout Win

Kape stayed patient throughout the opening rounds when he could have been frustrated. Then, when the moment came in the third frame, he took full advantage as he stunned and finished his former nemesis in decisive fashion to claim the biggest and most significant victory of his MMA career.

He was already ranked second in the official UFC flyweight rankings. And having successfully defended that spot against one of the most experienced, well-rounded contenders in the division, Kape looks ready for a shot at gold.

Murtazali Magomedov

After having to wait almost 10 months for his UFC debut, Murtazali Magomedov could have been forgiven for wanting to take his time when he finally got into the Octagon. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Magomedov arrived at Meta APEX with a point to prove, and he did so with style points as he finished Melsik Baghdasaryan in short order with a highlight-reel submission.

Watch Our Exclusive Post-Fight Interview With Murtazali Magomedov

Magomedov’s Twister finish was only the fourth of its kind in UFC history and showed that the undefeated Kyrgyz has arrived on the world stage with a formidable arsenal.

The 26-year-old now stands at 11-0 with six wins by submission and five by knockout, and is certainly one to watch as his career progresses in the 145-pound division.

Navajo Stirling

Kiwi light heavyweight Navajo Stirling continued his impressive rise up the 205-pound division with a second-round stoppage of Ion Cutelaba. The bout was a step up in experience for Stirling, who had claimed three wins on the spin before a TKO finish of Bruno Lopes back in March.

Stirling got a quick turnaround to face the hard-hitting and well-rounded Cutelaba, and was forced onto the back foot early as the big Moldovan used his grappling base to put the New Zealander under pressure.

WATCH: Navajo Sterling Reacts To His Win With UFC.com

It gave Stirling the chance to showcase his defensive wrestling and grappling as he kept Cutelaba at bay throughout the first round. Then, in the second, he showed the striking that has made him one of light heavyweight's must-watch prospects, finishing the fight and taking his unblemished career to 10-0.

After that win over Cutelaba, the next stop could be a bout with someone at the lower end of the light heavyweight rankings.

Bia Mesquita

The excitement surrounding Brazilian jiu-jitsu star-turned-mixed martial artist Bia Mesquita kicked up a gear as the undefeated women’s bantamweight improved her record to 8-0 with a first-round armbar finish of the gritty Brit Melissa Mullins.

Mesquita had to contend with Mullins’ striking early on, but once the action hit the canvas, it was all Mesquita as she used her control to recompose herself before hunting for the finish.

RELATED: Bia Mesquita Post-Fight Interview

It didn’t take long for her to find it, as she locked up an armbar to force the tap at the 3:16 mark.

That’s three UFC wins in a row for Mesquita, who will be setting her sights on Top 10 opposition sooner rather than later as she looks to improve on her No. 13 ranking over the next six months.

Christian Rodriguez

Featherweight Christian Rodriguez picked up a career-best victory with a technical submission finish of the hard-hitting Hyder Amil.

A former protégé of the sadly departed coach Duke Roufus, Rodriguez has relocated his training to Las Vegas, where Xtreme Couture has become his home. Head coach Eric Nicksick waxed lyrical on the live broadcast about the qualities Rodriguez brings to the gym. And when he stepped into the Octagon at Meta APEX for his first fight since his former coach’s untimely death, Rodriguez showcased his considerable talents in a superb display.

MORE: Christian Rodriguez Breaks Down His Win Over Amil

Rodriguez clearly saw a path to victory via head kick, and after a few attempts narrowly missed the target, he hit the jackpot later in the round to drop Amil. Rather than admire his work, Rodriguez followed his man to the mat and locked up a guillotine choke to render Amil unconscious.

It was an emphatic showing from “CeeRod” and marked the start of a new chapter in his career in a new city, in a new team, with a new coach. Coach Duke would have been proud.