Veteran flyweights Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi are slated to headline the June 20, 2026, UFC Fight Night card in Las Vegas. According to the CBS Sports 2026 schedule, the bout will serve as a key five‑round contest in the 125‑pound division and will stream on Paramount+. Kape has been pushing toward a title shot with explosive performances, while former Bellator and Rizin champion Horiguchi seeks to make a late‑career run in the UFC rankings. Their matchup is expected to clarify the pecking order beneath the current flyweight title picture and could produce a new top‑three contender by year’s end.
Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi are set to headline a UFC Fight Night card in Las Vegas on June 20, 2026, with their five-round flyweight clash streaming on Paramount+. The 125-pound matchup is expected to serve as one of the division's most consequential bouts of the year outside of a title fight.
Kape, ranked sixth in the flyweight division, enters the bout carrying a 23-7 record and a reputation as one of the most dangerous strikers in the weight class. The 32-year-old Angolan southpaw, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, lands 4.68 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate — numbers that rank among the best in the division. Standing five-foot-five with a 68-inch reach, he has been building momentum toward a potential title shot with a string of explosive finishes.
Horiguchi brings a wealth of championship pedigree into the contest. The 35-year-old Japanese veteran holds a 36-6 record and won titles in both Bellator and Rizin before returning his focus to the UFC. Training out of American Top Team, the five-foot-four orthodox fighter works at a slightly lower striking pace of 3.64 significant strikes per minute but compensates with a far more active takedown game, averaging 1.67 takedowns per 15 minutes. His 63-inch reach is notably shorter than Kape's, setting up an intriguing physical contrast.
Why it matters
- A win could push the victor into the top three of the flyweight rankings and force their way into the title conversation.
- Kape's elite striking accuracy against Horiguchi's takedown output creates a genuine striker-versus-wrestler dynamic across five rounds.
- Horiguchi's multi-promotional championship history makes this a high-profile test of whether he can still compete at the UFC's elite flyweight level.
Saturday, May 16, 2026
