Manel Kape knocked out Kyoji Horiguchi with a perfectly timed right hand after switching his stance late in the bout, securing a fourth consecutive knockout and a flyweight title shot. Horiguchi had controlled the fight with fast combination work and effective takedowns before making a critical tactical error by lingering in close range instead of immediately breaking distance after landing a double. Kape now holds the record for the most knockouts in UFC flyweight history with five.
Manel Kape punched his way into flyweight title contention on June 21, knocking out Kyoji Horiguchi with a perfectly timed right hand after switching his stance late in the fight to set up the finishing blow.
The 32-year-old Angolan, now 23-7-0, trains out of Xtreme Couture and enters the title picture riding four consecutive knockouts. Fighting out of a southpaw stance with a 68-inch reach, Kape is one of the most dangerous strikers in the 125-pound division, averaging 4.68 significant strikes per minute at an accuracy rate of 55 percent. The victory also cements his place in UFC history — he now holds the record for the most knockouts in flyweight history with five.
Horiguchi, the 35-year-old Japanese veteran out of American Top Team, brought a 36-6-0 record into the contest and largely delivered on his reputation as a technically sound, well-rounded fighter. He outworked Kape through much of the bout with fast combination work and, at 1.67 takedowns per 15 minutes, used his wrestling effectively throughout. According to the post-fight summary, at least one analyst described the result as heartbreaking given how well Horiguchi had performed before the finish. His undoing came when he lingered in close range after landing a double-leg takedown rather than immediately breaking distance — the lapse gave Kape the split-second opening he needed.
Why it matters
- Kape's fourth straight knockout finish gives him undeniable momentum heading into a title fight at flyweight.
- The loss drops Horiguchi to 36-6-0 and raises questions about his path back to championship contention at 35 years old.
- The finish highlighted the stylistic danger Kape poses even when an opponent controls large portions of a fight — his 55 percent striking accuracy makes any lapse in defensive discipline costly.
