Kyoji Horiguchi triumphantly returned to the Octagon on Saturday, dominantly choking out Tagir Ulanbekov in the third round. During his post-fight interview, he made his intentions clear:
“I want to get the UFC belt. Where is (flyweight champion Alexandre) Pantoja? He is my teammate, but it doesn’t matter. I will beat you up!”
Believe it or not, circumstances and precedents may bolster Horiguchi’s case…
A Lack Of Compelling Options
It is no secret that the UFC is running out of options for Alexandre Pantoja. Last time around, Kai Kara-France fell to him via second-round submission in their rematch and is now on an extended hiatus. It has gotten to the point that executives are hoping that Joshua Van defeats him at UFC 322 next month, and they may enter desperation mode otherwise.
Luckily, said executives have some past examples to look back on should they give Horiguchi the next title shot. Back in 2024, Steve Erceg was a largely unknown fringe contender when he unexpectedly got a shot at Pantoja. Meanwhile, Kai Asakura was a promotional newcomer when he took his turn seven months later.
Beyond those circumstances and precedents, Horiguchi has a few things going for him. First, he has won four straight and is overall unbeaten in his last seven fights – the only blemish being a no contest that he avenged. Second, he has some name recognition from his first UFC stint and subsequent ones on Bellator and Rizin, where he won championships.
Finally, there is the aforementioned history with Pantoja. Both currently train at the highly-esteemed American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, and it will be interesting to see how the stable handles this split in attention.
Other Non-Title Options
Of course, however, a quick title shot for Horiguchi is not a guarantee. If Van is victorious, then the likes of Brandon Moreno, Tatsuro Taira, Brandon Royval, and Manel Kape will have a stronger claim with a win.
Taira and Kape in particular will each have a strong case even if Pantoja wins. The former is a fresh matchup, while the latter has already fought the champion and will want to avenge that loss. If both win, there is a good chance that they dispute the next title shot after Pantoja and Horiguchi settle their business.
If only one of them wins, however, then it will mean a title shot. This will leave Horiguchi needing to look for other options, and fortunately for him, some obvious names stands out.
Asakura has had a hard time in the Octagon, having lost to Tim Elliott after Pantoja, but he is 1-1 against Horiguchi. Beating his nemesis may revitalize Asakura’s stint, while conversely, Horiguchi may bolster his chances by repeating against him.
Kape and Taira themselves are also credible options if either of them loses. The former has a 2020 submission loss to Horiguchi that he would like to avenge. The latter, meanwhile, represents an epic clash between two generations of Japanese MMA.
Each of these prospective fights may the best way to reintroduce the UFC to Japanese audiences – more so than Taira vs. Asakura.
End Of My Kyoji Horiguchi Rant
For now, though, Horiguchi will rest and be a happy observer next month, as the UFC flyweight division undertakes three fights that may shape its future. Regardless of who wins and/or walks out as the champion, he has many paths to choose from.
“The Supernova” of the 2010s was a young and hungry prospect who was thrown to the wolves too early and paid for it. “The Typhoon” of today, however, is a highly accomplished veteran who commands respect wherever he goes, and his next step will be interesting to learn…
