This weekend’s UFC fundamental event encompasses a matchup that first played out nine years ago in Japan.
Following an unforgettable night on the White House for UFC Freedom 250, the leading MMA promotion isn’t taking much time to reflect on pulling this event off.
A highly anticipated flyweight matchup headlines UFC Vegas 119 live from the Meta Apex in Las Vegas on June 20.
Manel Kape will look to get revenge on Kyoji Horiguchi now that each men are two of the highest contenders within the 125 pound division.
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Kyoji Horiguchi submitted Manel Kape before occurring to win the 2017 RIZIN bantamweight Grand Prix
Kyoji Horiguchi surprisingly made the choice to return to Japan following his initial run within the UFC where he went 7-1 and challenged for the flyweight title.
He immediately picked up from where he left off, extending his winning streak in RIZIN and winning the bantamweight Grand Prix in 2017.
To accomplish that, he needed to win 4 consecutive fights, including two on the identical night within the finals.
In his first bout on the finals event, he faced Manel Kape, submitting him within the third round to book his spot within the fundamental event.
Horiguchi went on to stop fellow finalist Shintaro Ishiwatari via a right hook knockout 14 seconds into the second round to win the tournament.
Kape would go on to affix the UFC from RIZIN in 2020 after he ended the previous 12 months because the bantamweight champion.
An injury had forced Horiguchi to vacate the title, resulting in Kape defeating Kai Asakura to win the vacant gold.
Each men at the moment are among the many top contenders within the UFC’s flyweight division, and a win on June 20 will likely earn either of them a title shot.
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