Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi squared off at the staredown ahead of their scheduled fight.
Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi locked eyes at the staredown ahead of their flyweight matchup, with the two contenders coming face to face as fight week gets underway.
Kape, nicknamed StarBoy, enters the bout ranked sixth in the flyweight division and carrying a record of 23 wins and 7 losses. The 32-year-old Angolan trains out of Xtreme Couture and fights out of a southpaw stance. Standing five-foot-five with a 68-inch reach, Kape is one of the more dangerous strikers in the division, landing 4.68 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 55 percent.
Horiguchi brings an impressive career record of 36 wins and 6 losses into the contest. The 35-year-old Japanese veteran trains at American Top Team and stands five-foot-four with a 63-inch reach. Fighting out of an orthodox stance, Horiguchi lands 3.64 significant strikes per minute and blends his striking with a consistent wrestling game, averaging 1.67 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Kape holds the sixth-ranked flyweight position, meaning a strong performance could push him closer to title contention
- Horiguchi's combination of striking and takedown output presents a complex stylistic challenge for Kape
- The reach advantage belongs to Kape, but Horiguchi's experience and wrestling add a meaningful dimension to the contest
- Both men represent elite flyweight competition, and the outcome will have clear implications for the divisional rankings
