Kyoji Horiguchi dominated Amir Albazi by decision at UFC Vegas 113 on February 8, 2026, marking two quick UFC wins since return. Suggested next: main event vs. Tatsuro Taira in Japan, boosting his top 5 flyweight push amid chaotic title scene with Pantoja injury and Kape leading contenders. This fight leverages Horiguchi's momentum for international draw. It matters for flyweight rankings and UFC's Japan expansion. Booking likely soon to capitalize on streak.
Reports circulating on February 9, 2026, suggest that Kyoji Horiguchi could be headed toward a flyweight main event against fellow Japanese contender Tatsuro Taira, potentially staged in Japan. The matchup has not been officially confirmed and should be treated as unverified at this stage.
Horiguchi, 35, made the case for exactly that kind of high-profile booking the night before, outpointing Amir Albazi by decision at UFC Vegas 113 on February 8 — his second quick win since returning to the UFC. The veteran carries a 36-6 record and fights out of American Top Team. At five-foot-four with a 63-inch reach, he relies on volume and accuracy, landing 3.64 significant strikes per minute at a 47 percent clip, numbers that speak to relentless pressure over a long career.
Albazi, the fourth-ranked flyweight at 17-3, came in as a credible measuring stick. The 32-year-old Iraqi fighter out of Xtreme Couture stands five-foot-five with a 68-inch reach and averages 2.47 significant strikes per minute. The decision loss snaps what had been a strong run for him in the division.
Taira would enter any such contest as the fifth-ranked flyweight and, at just 26 years old, one of the division's most technically refined prospects. The Japanese fighter from The Blackbelt Japan carries an 18-2 record and posts an impressive 60 percent striking accuracy while also generating 3.12 takedowns per 15 minutes — a well-rounded skill set that makes him dangerous in multiple areas.
Why it matters
- Horiguchi's two-fight streak positions him as a legitimate top-five flyweight threat without a ranked win in this run yet
- A win over Taira, currently ranked fifth, would solidify Horiguchi's place among the division's elite contenders
- The flyweight title picture is unsettled following Alexandre Pantoja's injury, making a high-profile Japan card an attractive option for the UFC
- Taira versus Horiguchi offers the UFC a strong local draw and a nationally relevant matchup for its Japan expansion strategy
