Steve Erceg — in a rematch nearly nine years after Kyoji Horiguchi finished him by submission — turned the tables with a third-round knockout after Horiguchi controlled the first two rounds with sharp counters and takedowns. Horiguchi landed a left hook on a forward surge but paused instead of resetting, and Cape capitalized with a fight-ending right hand after switching stances. The victory gives Cape four consecutive knockouts in the flyweight division and moves him to first place for most knockouts in UFC flyweight history with five.
Steve Erceg avenged a submission loss dating back nearly nine years when he stopped Kyoji Horiguchi with a third-round knockout on June 21, 2026, completing one of the more dramatic reversals of fortune in flyweight history.
Horiguchi, the 35-year-old Japanese veteran fighting out of American Top Team, had controlled the opening two rounds with the precise counter-striking and takedown work that has defined his career. Standing five-foot-four with a 63-inch reach, Horiguchi carries a 36-6 record and generates 3.64 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy. A left hook landed cleanly as Erceg surged forward, but Horiguchi paused rather than resetting — a momentary lapse that proved decisive.
Erceg switched stances in that instant and landed a right hand that ended the contest. The victory extends his knockout streak to four consecutive finishes in the flyweight division and pushes him to five career UFC flyweight knockouts, the most in divisional history.
Why it matters
- The result gives Erceg four straight knockouts and sole possession of the UFC flyweight KO record with five.
- Horiguchi drops to 36-6, and the loss clouds his positioning in a crowded division after he appeared close to a title shot.
- Erceg's ability to find a finish after two difficult rounds signals championship-level composure at 125 pounds.
- The divisional rankings picture shifts significantly, with Erceg now among the most compelling contender arguments in the weight class.
