Kape Roars Back to Stop Horiguchi in a Flyweight Statement
Manel Kape stopped Kyoji Horiguchi by technical knockout at 2:42 of round three on June 20, 2026, at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. The UFC Vegas 119 main event ended with Kape recovering from difficult early rounds to secure another finish.
The decisive action
Horiguchi combined striking with timely wrestling through the opening two rounds. His varied approach gave Kape problems and created an early lead, forcing the Portuguese-Angolan contender to find a way back into the contest rather than simply protecting an advantage.
Even in the third, Horiguchi found success and checked a kick that appeared to trouble Kape’s leg. Kape continued attacking, however, and a right hand staggered the Japanese veteran, changing the direction of the main event.
What the result means
Kape pursued the opportunity with follow-up strikes and forced the referee’s intervention. The result evened their personal series and ended Horiguchi’s unbeaten stretch of seven victories and one no contest, according to the UFC’s athlete record.
For Kape, the victory was a fourth consecutive stoppage and a seventh win in eight appearances. It strengthened his standing in the flyweight title conversation without establishing a separately announced championship booking. Horiguchi’s early control showed the difficulty of the assignment, while Kape’s response supplied its conclusion: a dangerous contender recovering under pressure and turning a single clean connection into a sustained finishing attack against an experienced former champion.
Sources
Article Tags
Manel Kape, Kyoji Horiguchi, UFC, MMA
