Manel Kape knocked out Kyoji Horiguchi in the third round, reversing the result of their fight from nearly nine years ago in which Horiguchi had dominated him. Horiguchi controlled the first two rounds with his speed, footwork, and takedowns, but was caught and finished after lingering too long inside following a combination in the third. Kape has now scored four consecutive knockouts at flyweight and holds the all-time divisional record with five KO victories. The win places Kape firmly in title contention.
Manel Kape earned a third-round knockout victory over Kyoji Horiguchi in a flyweight rematch on June 21, 2026, exacting revenge for a loss the two fighters had contested nearly nine years earlier when Horiguchi had largely dominated him.
Kape, now 23-7-0, entered the fight as the number-six ranked flyweight in the UFC. The 32-year-old southpaw from Angola, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, is one of the most dangerous finishers in the division. He lands 4.68 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 55 percent, and the win extended his run to four consecutive knockouts at flyweight. With five knockout victories at 125 pounds, he now holds the all-time divisional record for KO finishes.
Horiguchi, the 35-year-old Japanese veteran out of American Top Team, brought a 36-6-0 record into the contest and used his speed, footwork, and consistent takedown game — averaging 1.67 takedowns per 15 minutes — to control the first two rounds. However, after lingering inside following a combination in the third, he was caught cleanly and stopped before the round concluded.
Why it matters
- Kape's four-fight KO streak and the all-time divisional record for knockouts make him impossible to ignore at flyweight
- The win over a proven veteran in Horiguchi, who carries a 36-fight win column, significantly strengthens Kape's résumé
- At six-foot ranking difference aside, the result vaults Kape firmly into title contention at 125 pounds
- Horiguchi's loss raises questions about where the former champion-level fighter fits in the current divisional picture
