Every weekend, UFC fans witness the wonderful performances of the fighters inside the octagon. The upcoming UFC Fight Night marks a bout between Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi for the flyweight title. The UFC Fight Night event features two well-experienced fighters. Manel Kape is a former Rizin bantamweight champion and the former King of the Cage bantamweight champion.
Meanwhile, Kyoji Horiguchi competed in both the bantamweight and flyweight divisions in the UFC world. Followers of both fighters will watch their performances in the octagon. In addition, UFC Fight Night will feature a set of talented fighters ready to prove their resilience and determination.
Past UFC Showdowns That Captivated Fans
The UFC Freedom 250 event was an energized and exciting event in the MMA world. The main card featured a lightweight title fight between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje. Gaethje won through KO/TKO in the fourth round. In the co-main event, Alex Pereira suffered a defeat to Ciryl Gane in their interim heavyweight title fight. Meanwhile, Sean O’Malley claimed a win against Aiemann Zahabi through KO/TKO in the second round.
In addition, Josh Hokit clinched a win against Derrick Lewis via KO/TKO in the second round. Mauricio Ruffy clinched over Michael Chandler through KO/TKO in the first round. In the middleweight bout, Bo Nickal earned a stunning first-round victory over Kyle Daukaus. Diego Lopes claimed a win against Steve Garcia through KO/TKO in the second round.
Background and Build-Up of UFC Fight Night
The UFC Fight Night is known as UFC Fight Night 279 and UFC Vegas 119. The main card features Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi for the flyweight title. Mitch Raposo and Allan Nascimento were rescheduled for this event, with Raposo due to illness at that time. A heavyweight title between Jhonata Diniz and José Luiz was set for the event. Diniz withdrew for undisclosed reasons, leading to the cancellation of the bout. Giga Chikadze and Vinicius Oliveira were scheduled for the event. However, Chikadze withdrew for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Andre Fili.
Professional Backgrounds and Fighting Careers
Manel Kape
Manel Kape was born in Angola, and he is an Angolan-Portuguese professional mixed martial artist. Kape started before transitioning to mixed martial arts at 14. He made his pro MMA debut at 17 with impressive performances. He was nicknamed Starboy, and his full name was Manuel Pedro Gomes. Kape earned four consecutive wins from 2012 to 2013. In the early loss, he suffered at the hands of Souksavanh Khampasath through submission technique. Manel Kape has delivered ups and downs throughout his career and competed on some of the biggest stages in MMA.
Kyoji Horiguchi
Kyoji Horiguchi was born in Japan and began training in karate during his childhood. His diverse styles include Shoktan Karate, Shootfighting, and kickboxing experiences. Horiguchi has been involved in mixed martial arts since 2010. He began with six consecutive wins from 2010 to 2011. Furthermore, he suffered a loss to Masakatsu Ueda by decision. After a loss, Kyoji Horiguchi struggled to maintain consistency in his MMA career.
Event Details for UFC Fight Night
Main Event: Manel Kape vs Kyoji Horiguchi
Date: June 20, 2026 (Saturday)
Time: 08:00 PM ET | 05:00 PM PT | 05:30 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: Meta APEX, Las Vegas, in the United States.
Where can I watch Manel Kape vs Kyoji Horiguchi?
In Canada, fans can access UFC Fight Night on Sportsnet+, a thrilling, action-packed MMA experience.
The UFC Fight Night event will broadcast on ESPN+, featuring Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi. Fans can view the UFC event with a UFC Fight Pass subscription, which provides live coverage and replays. These matchups could affect the flyweight division and the future of both fighters.
A highly anticipated UFC Fight Night event will be broadcast on TNT Sports. Every electrifying exchange from the flyweight clash between Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi will live on the TNT Sports app. UFC fans want to see the highlights and replays of the UFC events.
In India, the UFC Fight Night featuring Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi will be an exciting match in the MMA world. This UFC will be broadcast on the Sony Live app. The UFC fight will be streamed on the Sony Sports Network.
The UFC Fight Night event will air on Paramount+ in Ireland. Fans can follow the UFC event on UFC Fight Pass, which offers live coverage, replays, and exclusive fight content.
In Australia, fans can watch the UFC Fight Night live stream on Foxtel and Kayo Sports. The main card is an intense clash between Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi for the flyweight title.
Fans can also experience the upcoming UFC Fight Night live on bet365.com! Stay connected with us and relish the exciting moments of the journey.
Manel Kape vs Kyoji Horiguchi Fight Card
Main Card
Manel Kape vs Kyoji Horiguchi (Flyweight)
Ion Cuțelaba vs Navajo Stirling (Light Heavyweight)
Andre Fili vs Vinicius Oliveira (Featherweight)
Hyder Amil vs Christian Rodriguez (Featherweight)
André Lima vs Kevin Borjas (Flyweight)
Melsik Baghdasaryan vs Murtazali Magomedov (Featherweight)
Prelims
Bia Mesquita vs Melissa Mullins (Women’s Bantamweight)
Allan Nascimento vs Mitch Raposo (Flyweight)
Gastón Bolaños vs Michael Aswell Jr. (Featherweight)
Karol Rosa vs Luana Santos (Women’s Bantamweight)
Leon Shahbazyan vs Levan Chokheli (Welterweight)
Shane Collins vs Otari Tanzilovi (Featherweight)
Manel Kape Bio and Stats
| Nationality | Angolan and Portuguese |
| Age | 32 |
| Height | 5’5” |
| Reach | 68” |
| Total Fights | 29 |
| Record | 22-7-0 (14 Knockouts) |
Kyoji Horiguchi Bio and Stats
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Age | 35 |
| Height | 5’5” |
| Reach | 66” |
| Total Fights | 42 |
| Record | 36-5-1 (15 Knockouts) |
Manel Kape Mixed Martial Arts Record
| Result | Opponent | Method | Date | Location |
| Win | Brandon Royval | KO (punches) | December 13, 2025 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Win | Asu Almabayev | TKO (retirement) | March 1, 2025 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Win | Bruno Gustavo da Silva | TKO (body kick and punches) | December 14, 2024 | Tampa, Florida, United States |
| Loss | Muhammad Mokaev | Decision (unanimous) | July 27, 2024 | Manchester, England |
| Win | Felipe dos Santos | Decision (unanimous) | September 10, 2023 | Sydney, Australia |
| Win | David Dvořák | Decision (unanimous) | December 17, 2022 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Win | Zhalgas Zhumagulov | TKO (punches) | December 4, 2021 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Win | Ode’ Osbourne | KO (flying knee and punches) | August 7, 2021 | Houston, Texas, United States |
| Loss | Matheus Nicolau | Decision (split) | March 13, 2021 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Loss | Alexandre Pantoja | Decision (unanimous) | February 6, 2021 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Win | Kai Asakura | TKO (punches) | December 31, 2019 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Takeya Mizugaki | KO (punch) | August 18, 2019 | Nagoya, Japan |
| Win | Seiichiro Ito | TKO (punch to the body) | April 21, 2019 | Yokohama, Japan |
| Loss | Ulka Sasaki | Decision (unanimous) | December 31, 2018 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Yusaku Nakamura | Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) | September 30, 2018 | Saitama, Japan |
| Loss | Kai Asakura | Decision (split) | May 6, 2018 | Fukuoka, Japan |
| Loss | Kyoji Horiguchi | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | December 31, 2017 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Ian McCall | TKO (doctor stoppage) | December 29, 2017 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Erson Yamamoto | TKO (head kick and punch) | October 15, 2017 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Francisco Javier Asprilla | TKO (punches) | April 27, 2015 | Lisbon, Portugal |
| Win | Antoine Gallinaro | Submission (armbar) | April 18, 2015 | Cognac, France |
| Win | Miguel Valverde | Submission (rear-naked choke) | December 19, 2014 | Porto, Portugal |
| Win | Daniel Barez | Submission (armbar) | November 29, 2014 | Madrid, Spain |
| Win | Hicham Rachid | KO (flying knee to the body) | July 27, 2014 | Porto, Portugal |
| Loss | Souksavanh Khampasath | Submission (rear-naked choke) | April 5, 2014 | Cognac, France |
| Win | Marco Santos | Decision (unanimous) | July 28, 2013 | Matosinhos, Portugal |
| Win | Ricardo Teixeira | Submission (rear-naked choke) | February 3, 2013 | Matosinhos, Portugal |
| Win | Renato Ferreira | TKO (punches) | November 4, 2012 | Matosinhos, Portugal |
| Win | Artur Gomes | TKO (punches) | May 13, 2012 | Matosinhos, Portugal |
Kyoji Horiguchi Mixed Martial Arts Record
| Result | Opponent | Method | Date | Location |
| Win | Amir Albazi | Decision (unanimous) | February 7, 2026 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Win | Tagir Ulanbekov | Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) | November 22, 2025 | Al Rayyan, Qatar |
| Win | Nkazimulo Zulu | Decision (unanimous) | December 31, 2024 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Sergio Pettis | Decision (unanimous) | June 9, 2024 | Tokyo, Japan |
| Win | Makoto Takahashi | Submission (rear-naked choke) | December 31, 2023 | Saitama, Japan |
| NC | Makoto Takahashi | NC (accidental eye poke) | July 30, 2023 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Hiromasa Ougikubo | Decision (unanimous) | December 31, 2022 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Yuto Hokamura | Technical Submission (arm-triangle choke) | September 25, 2022 | Saitama, Japan |
| Loss | Patchy Mix | Decision (unanimous) | April 23, 2022 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States |
| Loss | Sergio Pettis | KO (spinning backfist) | December 3, 2021 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States |
| Win | Kai Asakura | TKO (punches) | December 31, 2020 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Darrion Caldwell | Decision (unanimous) | June 14, 2019 | New York City, New York, United States |
| Win | Ben Nguyen | KO (punches) | April 21, 2019 | Yokohama, Japan |
| Win | Darrion Caldwell | Decision (unanimous) | June 14, 2019 | New York City, New York, United States |
| Win | Hiromasa Ougikubo | Decision (unanimous) | July 29, 2018 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Ian McCall | KO (punch) | May 6, 2018 | Fukuoka, Japan |
| Win | Shintaro Ishiwatari | KO (punches) | December 31, 2017 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Manel Kape | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | December 31, 2017 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Gabriel Oliveira | TKO (punches) | December 29, 2017 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Hideo Tokoro | KO (punches) | July 30, 2017 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Yuki Motoya | Decision (unanimous) | April 16, 2017 | Yokohama, Japan |
| Win | Ali Bagautinov | Decision (unanimous) | November 19, 2016 | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Win | Neil Seery | Decision (unanimous) | May 8, 2016 | Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Win | Chico Camus | Decision (unanimous) | September 27, 2015 | Saitama, Japan |
| Loss | Demetrious Johnson | Submission (armbar) | April 25, 2015 | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Win | Louis Gaudinot | Decision (unanimous) | January 3, 2015 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Win | Jon Delos Reyes | TKO (punches) | September 20, 2014 | Saitama, Japan |
| Win | Darrell Montague | Decision (unanimous) | May 10, 2014 | Cincinnati, Ohio, United States |
| Win | Dustin Pague | TKO (punches) | October 19, 2013 | Houston, Texas, United States |
| Win | Shintaro Ishiwatari | TKO (punches) | June 22, 2013 | Tokyo, Japan |
| Win | Hiromasa Ougikubo | Submission (rear-naked choke) | March 16, 2013 | Tokyo, Japan |
| Win | Ian Loveland | Decision (unanimous) | December 24, 2012 | Tokyo, Japan |
| Win | Manabu Inoue | Decision (unanimous) | July 16, 2012 | Tokyo, Japan |
| Win | Tetsu Suzuki | TKO (punches) | March 10, 2012 | Tokyo, Japan |
| Loss | Masakatsu Ueda | Decision (majority) | January 8, 2012 | Tokyo, Japan |
| Win | Naohiro Mizuno | KO (punches) | September 23, 2011 | Tokyo, Japan |
| Win | Yuta Nezu | KO (punch) | July 18, 2011 | Tokyo, Japan |
| Win | Takahiro Hosoi | TKO (punches) | April 29, 2011 | Tokyo, Japan |
| Win | Seiji Akao | TKO (punches) | December 18, 2010 | Tokyo, Japan |
| Win | Keita Ishibashi | TKO (doctor stoppage) | August 7, 2010 | Tokyo, Japan |
| Win | Ranki Kawana | Decision (unanimous) | May 9, 2010 | Tokyo, Japan |
Prediction
Manel Kape vs Kyoji Horiguchi
In a highly anticipated rematch, the UFC Fight Night event features Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi for the flyweight bout. Manel Kape is a dynamic flyweight fighter, but he gives both excitement and risk. He has a major sharp counterstriking ability, often landing clean shots when opponents commit. Kape has consistently shown weakness against explosive damage. He has occasionally shown a weak point against strong wrestlers and grapplers. Manel Kape remains a formidable contender and will look to face his opponent inside the octagon.
Conversely, Kyoji Horiguchi maintains a strong challenger for Manel Kape in the upcoming UFC Fight Night event. In his MMA career, Horiguchi had several notable victories, including an impressive one. He is an A-Class shootist and holds a 2nd-degree black belt in Shotokan Karate. Horiguchi has greater flexibility in decision-making and knockouts than in submission techniques. He has a long career in the UFC, facing a variety of styles and high-level opponents. Based on their performances, Kyoji Horiguchi will hold on to a triumph in their upcoming event.
The Pick: Kyoji Horiguchi via Decision
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