Manel Kape knocked out Kyoji Horiguchi in the third round, extending his consecutive knockout streak to four and moving to first place in UFC flyweight history with five stoppages. Horiguchi had dominated the first two rounds with his signature in-and-out movement and counters, but was caught and finished after momentarily lingering in the pocket following a combination. The win sets up a blockbuster flyweight matchup between Kape and Wang Cong.
Manel Kape delivered a stunning third-round knockout of Kyoji Horiguchi on June 21, extending his consecutive knockout streak to four and cementing his place in UFC flyweight history with five stoppages — the most in divisional history.
Kape, 32, enters the record books at 23-7 and now sits sixth in the flyweight rankings. The Angolan southpaw trains out of Xtreme Couture and brings a relentless offensive profile to the cage, landing 4.68 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. His reach of 68 inches — a notable advantage at flyweight — gives him the tools to operate at range and punish opponents who linger a moment too long.
That is precisely what undid Horiguchi. The 35-year-old Japanese veteran, fighting out of American Top Team, controlled the opening two rounds with the slick in-and-out movement and sharp counters that have defined his career. Carrying a record of 36-6, Horiguchi is one of the most accomplished fighters in the division's history, and his 47 percent striking accuracy at 3.64 significant strikes per minute reflects a measured, selective style. But after a combination late in the third, he paused a beat too long in the pocket and Kape made him pay.
Why it matters
- Kape's five stoppages now stand alone as the most by any fighter in UFC flyweight history, raising his profile significantly ahead of a potential title push.
- The victory sets up a marquee flyweight contest between Kape and Wang Cong, the southpaw striker known as "The Joker," who carries a 9-1 record and one of the most aggressive output rates in the division at 6.22 significant strikes per minute.
- A Kape versus Wang Cong matchup pits two southpaw volume strikers against each other, with Wang's 56 percent striking accuracy and Kape's seven-inch reach advantage over Horiguchi shaping a potentially explosive stylistic clash.
