Manel Kape earned a third-round TKO victory over Kyoji Horiguchi, landing a decisive right hand that finished the fight after Horiguchi held a clear advantage through the first two rounds. Kape, who had been dominated by Horiguchi in their first meeting over eight years ago, showed marked technical improvement in the rematch and now owns four consecutive knockouts in the flyweight division, placing him first in UFC divisional history with five finishes by KO. With the win, a title fight against the flyweight champion becomes the next logical step.
Manel "StarBoy" Kape earned a third-round TKO victory over Kyoji Horiguchi on June 21, 2026, completing a hard-fought rematch with a decisive right hand that put the Japanese veteran away after Horiguchi had controlled much of the opening two rounds.
Kape, the Angolan southpaw out of Xtreme Couture, improves to 23-7 and now holds four consecutive knockouts in the flyweight division. The 32-year-old stands five-foot-five with a 68-inch reach and brings an aggressive, high-output striking game, averaging 4.68 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate. The win also marks a historic milestone, giving Kape five knockout finishes in the UFC flyweight division — more than any fighter in divisional history. Ranked sixth at flyweight heading into the bout, Kape has now made a compelling case to jump considerably higher on the divisional ladder.
Horiguchi, who had dominated their first encounter more than eight years ago, entered the rematch as a seasoned veteran at 35 years old with a 36-6 record. Fighting out of American Top Team in an orthodox stance, the Japanese contender stands five-foot-four with a 63-inch reach and mixes his striking with a solid takedown game, averaging 1.67 takedowns per 15 minutes. His clear edge through the first two rounds made the third-round stoppage all the more dramatic, but Kape's marked technical improvement since their initial meeting ultimately proved to be the difference.
Why it matters
- Kape's fifth flyweight KO finish sets a UFC divisional record, underlining his historic knockout power at 125 pounds.
- After years ranked in the middle of the flyweight pack, a performance of this magnitude puts Kape in direct conversation for a title shot.
- The stylistic contrast — Kape's southpaw output striking against Horiguchi's wrestling-inflected pressure — made the finish a statement about Kape's technical growth since their first fight.
