Manel Kape stopped Kyoji Horiguchi in the third round, handing the Japanese veteran a brutal reversal after Horiguchi had dominated the first two rounds with his signature counter-punching and movement. Horiguchi staggered Kape multiple times and appeared on course for a decision victory before pausing in close range after a combination, giving Kape the opening to land a clean right hand that led to the finish. The knockout was Kape's fourth consecutive finish in the flyweight division and gives him the all-time record for knockouts in UFC flyweight history with five.
Manel Kape delivered one of the most dramatic finishes of the year on June 21, stopping Kyoji Horiguchi in the third round to record his fourth consecutive finish inside the UFC octagon and cement his place in flyweight history.
The 32-year-old Angolan, fighting out of Xtreme Couture, entered the bout ranked sixth at flyweight with a record of 23-7. Known for his output and precision — he lands 4.68 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 55 percent — Kape was nevertheless being outworked through two rounds by Horiguchi's sharp counter-punching and constant movement. Horiguchi staggered him multiple times, and a decision loss appeared to be the likely outcome.
The fight turned on a single moment. Horiguchi paused at close range after landing a combination, and Kape, a southpaw with a 68-inch reach, found the opening he needed, landing a clean right hand that sent the Japanese veteran to the canvas and prompted the stoppage.
For Horiguchi, the defeat drops his record to 36-6. The 35-year-old, who trains out of American Top Team, is among the most experienced fighters in the division and came in with a takedown rate of 1.67 per 15 minutes — a threat that never fully materialized as the striking exchanges took center stage. He had controlled large portions of the contest before the finish unraveled everything.
Why it matters
- Kape now holds the all-time record for knockouts in UFC flyweight history with five, separating himself from every fighter in the division's past.
- Four straight finishes at flyweight puts Kape in a commanding position to push for a title shot, with a current ranking of sixth.
- The loss is a significant setback for Horiguchi, who despite his dominance in the first two rounds could not close out the fight and now faces questions about his positioning in the flyweight top ten.
