Manel Kape defeated Kyoji Horiguchi by knockout in the third round, extending his streak to four consecutive stoppages in the UFC and claiming the all-time flyweight record with five knockouts in the division. Horiguchi had controlled the first two rounds, using his speed and counter-punching to trouble Kape, but a momentary lapse — pausing too long after throwing a combination — allowed Kape to land the decisive right hand. The Angolan-Portuguese fighter changed his stance from southpaw to orthodox just before the finishing sequence, catching Horiguchi off guard. With the win, a title shot appears the logical next step for Kape, and a potential mega-fight between him and Brandon Wang is being touted as the division's most compelling matchup.
Manel Kape knocked out Kyoji Horiguchi in the third round on June 21, 2026, extending his run of consecutive UFC stoppages to four and setting a new all-time record with five flyweight knockouts in the promotion.
Kape, nicknamed "StarBoy," now stands at 23-7-0 and enters the conversation as the division's most dangerous finisher. The 32-year-old Angolan-Portuguese fighter trains out of Xtreme Couture and brings a southpaw stance that has long given opponents problems. His output is among the highest in the division — 4.68 significant strikes landed per minute — and his 55 percent striking accuracy reflects how clean and selective his offense can be. That precision proved decisive on Saturday night.
Horiguchi, one of the sport's most accomplished flyweights, had done much of what he needed to do through the first two rounds. The 35-year-old Japanese veteran, fighting out of American Top Team, carries a 36-6-0 record and brings real versatility to the cage, averaging 1.67 takedown attempts per 15 minutes alongside steady counter-striking. His 3.64 significant strikes per minute and 47 percent accuracy were enough to put him ahead on the scorecards heading into the third. A brief pause after he threw a combination, however, created the opening Kape had been hunting.
Kape shifted from southpaw to orthodox just before the finishing sequence, a subtle adjustment that caught Horiguchi unprepared, and a right hand closed the show.
Why it matters
- Kape now holds the all-time UFC flyweight record with five knockouts, strengthening his case for a title shot.
- At 6 inches shorter in reach than Kape, Horiguchi's 63-inch reach may have limited his ability to read the stance switch in time.
- A potential matchup between Kape and Brandon Wang is already being discussed as the division's most compelling fight to make next.
