TLDR
- Manel Kape faces Kyoji Horiguchi in the UFC Vegas 119 main event Saturday at Meta APEX in Las Vegas
- Horiguchi defeated Kape via third-round submission when they first met in RIZIN in December 2017
- Kape enters on a three-fight win streak with all victories coming by knockout, while Horiguchi has won four straight
- Kape is favored at -148 to -162 depending on the sportsbook, with Horiguchi the underdog at +124 to +136
- Both fighters are ranked in the top five of the UFC flyweight division, with Kape at No. 2 and Horiguchi at No. 5
Sources: clutchpoints.com | si.com | cbssports.com
The UFC returns to the Meta APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday for UFC Vegas 119, headlined by a flyweight rematch between Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi. The main card begins at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
This marks the second meeting between these fighters, with their first encounter taking place in RIZIN in December 2017. Horiguchi won that bout via third-round submission.
Kape Riding Three-Fight Knockout Streak
Manel Kape enters Saturday’s fight with a 22-7 record and momentum on his side. The 32-year-old Portuguese-Angolan fighter has won three consecutive fights, all by knockout.
His most recent victory came in March 2025 when he stopped Asu Almabayev via third-round TKO at UFC Fight Night. Kape has won six of his last seven fights overall, with the only loss coming via unanimous decision to Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304 in July 2024.
The southpaw striker carries nine knockout wins in his career and is tied for the most knockouts (five) in UFC flyweight division history. He also ranks third in most knockdowns as a UFC flyweight with seven.
Kape is currently ranked No. 2 in the flyweight division and opened as the betting favorite. Odds range from -148 to -162 depending on the sportsbook.
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Horiguchi Returns After Four-Fight Win Streak
Kyoji Horiguchi brings a 36-5 record and extensive championship experience to Saturday’s main event. The 35-year-old Japanese fighter has won four straight fights and hasn’t lost since 2020.
Horiguchi most recently submitted Tagir Ulanbekov via third-round rear-naked choke at UFC Fight Night in November 2025. He followed that with a unanimous decision victory over Amir Albazi in February 2026.
The Florida-based fighter holds a black belt in Shotokan karate and has competed professionally since 2010. His career includes championship runs in both RIZIN and Bellator before returning to the UFC last year.
Horiguchi has finished fights 20 times in his career, including 15 knockouts, 15 decisions, and six submissions. His strike defense rate of 64% ranks among the best in the flyweight division.
He is ranked No. 5 in the division and enters as the underdog with odds ranging from +124 to +136.
The rematch comes nearly eight years after their first meeting, when Horiguchi was in the middle of a 13-fight win streak. That victory over Kape came during Horiguchi’s time with RIZIN FF, between his two separate runs with the UFC.
Kape stands three inches shorter than Horiguchi but holds a one-inch advantage in leg reach. The age difference favors Kape by three years, though Horiguchi’s recent performances suggest he remains at peak form despite his 41-fight career spanning multiple organizations.
Betting markets have the over/under set at 4.5 rounds, with the under slightly favored at -105 to +105. Both fighters have shown finishing ability in recent fights, with Kape’s last three wins and Horiguchi’s submission of Ulanbekov ending before the final bell.
The main card also features a light heavyweight bout between Ion Cutelaba and undefeated Navajo Stirling, with Stirling favored at -325. The preliminary card includes a flyweight matchup between Allan Nascimento and Mitch Raposo, with Nascimento favored at -162 to -166.
