UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi

UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi took place on June 20, 2026 in Las Vegas, NV, USA, headlined by Manel Kape vs Kyoji Horiguchi. See full results, round-by-round breakdowns, fight statistics, win probabilities, where to watch, venue details, and the 12-fight card below.

Manel Kape defeated Kyoji Horiguchi by TKO at 2:42 of round three at Meta Apex in Las Vegas on 20 June 2026. The non-title flyweight main event matched the division’s second- and fifth-ranked contenders, and Kape’s fourth consecutive stoppage strengthened his argument for a championship opportunity.

Kape improved to 23-7, extending a run built entirely on striking finishes. The 32-year-old had stopped Bruno Silva in round three on 14 December 2024, finished Asu Almabayev in the third on 1 March 2025 and knocked out Brandon Royval in the opening round on 13 December 2025. Horiguchi became the fourth name on that sequence.

Horiguchi fell to 36-6, with one no-contest, after his first defeat since returning to the UFC. The 35-year-old had submitted Tagir Ulanbekov with a third-round rear-naked choke on 22 November 2025, then beaten Amir Albazi by unanimous decision on 7 February 2026. Kape interrupted a comeback that had taken Horiguchi straight back into title contention.

Horiguchi controlled much of the opening two rounds by combining fast striking entries with well-timed wrestling. A left hook in the second unsettled Kape and opened the way for a takedown, after which Horiguchi established half guard. Kape answered with elbows from underneath, but the Japanese veteran was dictating where the contest took place.

The decisive reversal came in round three, when Kape’s counter right hand staggered Horiguchi. Kape followed him down and attacked with punches rather than allowing him time to recover. Referee Herb Dean intervened at 2:42, ending a fight in which Horiguchi’s earlier success had not diminished Kape’s finishing threat.

The result also levelled their rivalry at one win apiece. Horiguchi had submitted Kape with a third-round arm-triangle choke during RIZIN’s bantamweight Grand Prix in December 2017. More than eight years later, Kape reversed the outcome in another promotion and a different weight division.

Navajo Stirling remained unbeaten by stopping Ion Cutelaba at 3:23 of round two, but first had to survive a genuine submission threat. Cutelaba caught him in an early guillotine, forcing Stirling to defend before establishing his striking. Stirling eventually trapped Cutelaba against the fence and overwhelmed him with punches and elbows, improving to 10-0 overall and 5-0 in the UFC.

Christian Rodriguez ended a two-fight losing streak with a first-round submission of Hyder Amil at 3:43. A head kick created the opening, and Rodriguez followed with a guillotine choke to complete the finish. The important detail was the transition: he converted damage on the feet into a submission rather than giving Amil space to recover.

Kevin Borjas delivered a major upset by handing Andre Lima his first professional defeat through a unanimous decision, with scores of 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28. His victory came with an important qualification: Borjas weighed 129lb, three pounds above the non-title flyweight limit, and forfeited 20 per cent of his purse.

Levan Chokheli produced the shortest finish among the recorded results, stopping Leon Shahbazyan after 23 seconds. Early leg kicks disrupted Shahbazyan before Chokheli attacked with his hands, dropping him with a left to the body. It was an immediate demonstration of his finishing ability on his UFC debut.

Beatriz Mesquita showed recovery skills as well as submission expertise against Melissa Mullins. After being hurt by strikes early, Mesquita worked from her guard and secured an armbar at 3:16 of round one. The victory moved her to 8-0 and gave her three consecutive UFC stoppages.

Manel Kape and Murtazali Magomedov received Performance of the Night honours. Magomedov’s award followed his submission of Melsik Baghdasaryan at 1:17 of round one, with the newcomer securing a twister on his UFC debut. The unusual finish gave the featherweight bout a distinction beyond its speed.

Vinicius De Oliveira Prestes De Matos, billed by the UFC as Vinicius Oliveira, shared Fight of the Night with Andre Fili. Oliveira recovered from a difficult opening round to stop Fili at 4:56 of the second, just four seconds before the horn. It was his first featherweight appearance in the UFC.

Oliveira’s finish also drew scrutiny over the closing blows. The UFC’s own report noted apparent elbows to the back of Fili’s head during the attack. That concern belongs in the account of the fight, while the recorded outcome remains a second-round KO/TKO victory for Oliveira.

Joshua Van is the logical next opponent for Kape rather than another non-title eliminator. As of 24 September 2026, Van has retained the flyweight championship against Alexandre Pantoja on 19 September, and Kape has renewed his push to challenge him. Four consecutive stoppages make that a strong matchmaking case, although a callout should not be treated as a confirmed title booking.

Horiguchi’s return is already taking shape, with reporting linking him to Asu Almabayev at UFC Qatar on 21 November 2026. That offers a route back towards contention rather than an immediate third meeting with Kape. The June defeat exposed the cost of one defensive lapse, but Horiguchi’s success before the finish gives good reason to view him as a continuing threat at flyweight.

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Event venue, local timezone, and map details for fight night.

Who won Manel Kape vs Kyoji Horiguchi?

Manel Kape defeated Kyoji Horiguchi by TKO at 2:42 of round three on 20 June 2026. The flyweight main event took place at Meta Apex in Las Vegas. Kape recovered from Horiguchi’s early success to land the decisive right hand and finish with follow-up punches.

Had Kape and Horiguchi fought before?

Yes. Horiguchi submitted Kape with an arm-triangle choke in round three of their RIZIN bantamweight Grand Prix meeting in December 2017. Kape’s third-round stoppage in Las Vegas levelled their head-to-head series at 1-1, with each fighter holding a finish over the other in a different promotion.

Who won the bonuses at UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi?

Manel Kape and Murtazali Magomedov received Performance of the Night honours. Vinicius Oliveira and Andre Fili shared Fight of the Night after Oliveira’s stoppage with four seconds left in round two. Magomedov’s bonus recognised his first-round twister submission of Melsik Baghdasaryan on his UFC debut.

Was Kape vs Horiguchi a UFC title fight?

No. Kape vs Horiguchi was a scheduled five-round, non-title flyweight main event. Its importance was in the contender race: Kape entered ranked second and Horiguchi fifth. Winning strengthened Kape’s championship case, but the result itself did not award him a UFC belt or guarantee a title booking.

Where can I watch the Kape vs Horiguchi replay in the US?

US viewers can find the UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi replay on Paramount+, linked from UFC’s official event page. Search for the Las Vegas event dated 20 June 2026. The listing includes the main card and preliminary bouts from Meta Apex.