Manel Kape stopped Kyoji Horiguchi with a right hand counter in the third round after Horiguchi had controlled the first two rounds with his movement and striking. Kape changed stances just before landing the decisive shot, switching from southpaw to orthodox to land a right hook that ended the fight. The victory gives Kape four consecutive knockouts at flyweight and moves him to first place in UFC flyweight knockout history with five finishes.
Manel Kape secured a stunning third-round knockout of Kyoji Horiguchi on June 21, 2026, finishing the Japanese veteran with a perfectly timed counter right hook after spending much of the fight trailing on the scorecards.
Kape, the 32-year-old Angolan fighting out of Xtreme Couture, entered the contest ranked sixth in the UFC flyweight division with a record of 23-7-0. A natural southpaw standing five-foot-five with a 68-inch reach, "StarBoy" has built a reputation as one of the most dangerous finishers in the weight class. That reputation is now backed by the record books — the victory gives him five knockout finishes at flyweight, more than any fighter in UFC flyweight history, and marks his fourth consecutive stoppage in the division. He lands 4.68 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, numbers that reflect both his volume and his precision.
Horiguchi came in as one of the most accomplished flyweights alive, holding a record of 36-6-0 at age 35. The Japanese veteran, who trains out of American Top Team, was the sharper and more composed fighter through the first two rounds, using his movement and crisp orthodox striking — he lands 3.64 significant strikes per minute — to control the pace. His wrestling threat, averaging 1.67 takedowns per 15 minutes, added another layer of complexity for Kape to manage.
The finish itself was a product of in-fight adaptation. Kape switched from southpaw to orthodox just before throwing the decisive right hook, catching Horiguchi off guard and ending the contest in the third round.
Why it matters
- Kape moves from sixth in the flyweight rankings with a clear argument for a title shot after four straight knockouts
- He now holds the UFC flyweight record for knockout finishes with five, cementing a legacy as the division's most dangerous striker
- The loss snaps Horiguchi's momentum and raises questions about where the 35-year-old slots in the divisional picture going forward
- The stance switch that ended the fight highlights how technical adaptability, not just power, defines Kape's finishing ability
