- #5 Flyweight
- Japan
« The Supernova »
Kyoji Horiguchi Record, stats and next fight
36-6-0 (W-L-D) · 1 NC
15Wins by knockout
6Wins by submission
10First round finishes
Stats and record
43Pro fights
58%Finish rate
11UFC fights
10Title fights
1Performance bonuses
1Losing streak
Wins by method
Losses by method
Profile
- Age
- 36 years
- Born
- October 12, 1990
- Birthplace
- Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan
- Height
- 5'4" (163 cm)
- Weight
- 126 lbs (57 kg)
- Reach
- 69" (175 cm)
- Division
- Flyweight
- Fighting out of
- Coconut Creek, Florida, U.S.
- Team
- American Top Team
- Trainer
- Katsuaki Ishizaka
- UFC debut
- October 19, 2013
Fight history
-
Loss
vs Manel Kape
UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Horiguchi · Jun 20, 2026 · Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
- Method
- TKO (punches)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 2:42
-
Win
vs Amir Albazi
UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs. Oliveira · Feb 7, 2026 · Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 5:00
-
Win
vs Tagir Ulanbekov Bonus
UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Hooker · Nov 22, 2025 · Al Rayyan, Qatar
- Method
- Technical Submission (rear-naked choke)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 2:18
-
Win
vs Nkazimulo Zulu Title
Rizin 49 · Dec 31, 2024 · Saitama, Japan
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 5:00
-
Win
vs Sergio Pettis
Rizin 47 · Jun 9, 2024 · Tokyo, Japan
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 5:00
-
Win
vs Makoto Takahashi Title
Rizin 45 · Dec 31, 2023 · Saitama, Japan
- Method
- Submission (rear-naked choke)
- Round
- 2
- Time
- 3:44
-
No contest
vs Makoto Takahashi Title
Bellator MMA vs. Rizin 2 · Jul 30, 2023 · Saitama, Japan
- Method
- NC (accidental eye poke)
- Round
- 1
- Time
- 0:25
-
Win
vs Hiromasa Ougikubo
Bellator MMA vs. Rizin · Dec 31, 2022 · Saitama, Japan
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 5:00
Show 34 earlier fights
-
Win
vs Yuto Hokamura
Rizin 38 · Sep 25, 2022 · Saitama, Japan
- Method
- Technical Submission (arm-triangle choke)
- Round
- 2
- Time
- 2:59
-
Loss
vs Patchy Mix
Bellator 279 · Apr 23, 2022 · Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 5
- Time
- 5:00
-
Loss
vs Sergio Pettis Title
Bellator 272 · Dec 3, 2021 · Uncasville, Connecticut, United States
- Method
- KO (spinning backfist)
- Round
- 4
- Time
- 3:24
-
Win
vs Kai Asakura Title
Rizin 26 · Dec 31, 2020 · Saitama, Japan
- Method
- TKO (punches)
- Round
- 1
- Time
- 2:48
-
Loss
vs Kai Asakura
Rizin 18 · Aug 18, 2019 · Nagoya, Japan
- Method
- KO (punches)
- Round
- 1
- Time
- 1:07
-
Win
vs Darrion Caldwell Title
Bellator 222 · Jun 14, 2019 · New York City, New York, United States
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 5
- Time
- 5:00
-
Win
vs Ben Nguyen
Rizin 15 · Apr 21, 2019 · Yokohama, Japan
- Method
- KO (punches)
- Round
- 1
- Time
- 2:53
-
Win
vs Darrion Caldwell Title
Rizin 14 · Dec 31, 2018 · Saitama, Japan
- Method
- Submission (guillotine choke)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 1:19
-
Win
vs Hiromasa Ougikubo
Rizin 11 · Jul 29, 2018 · Saitama, Japan
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 2
- Time
- 5:00
-
Win
vs Ian McCall
Rizin 10 · May 6, 2018 · Fukuoka, Japan
- Method
- KO (punch)
- Round
- 1
- Time
- 0:09
-
Win
vs Shintaro Ishiwatari
Rizin World Grand Prix 2017: Final Round · Dec 31, 2017 · Saitama, Japan
- Method
- KO (punches)
- Round
- 2
- Time
- 0:14
-
Win
vs Gabriel Oliveira
Rizin World Grand Prix 2017: 2nd Round · Dec 29, 2017 · Saitama, Japan
- Method
- TKO (punches)
- Round
- 1
- Time
- 4:30
-
Win
vs Hideo Tokoro
Rizin World Grand Prix 2017: 1st Round · Jul 30, 2017 · Saitama, Japan
- Method
- KO (punches)
- Round
- 1
- Time
- 1:49
-
Win
vs Yuki Motoya
Rizin 5 · Apr 16, 2017 · Yokohama, Japan
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 2
- Time
- 5:00
-
Win
vs Ali Bagautinov
UFC Fight Night: Mousasi vs. Hall 2 · Nov 19, 2016 · Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 5:00
-
Win
vs Neil Seery
UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Arlovski · May 8, 2016 · Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 5:00
-
Win
vs Chico Camus
UFC Fight Night: Barnett vs. Nelson · Sep 27, 2015 · Saitama, Japan
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 5:00
-
Loss
vs Demetrious Johnson Title
UFC 186 · Apr 25, 2015 · Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Method
- Submission (armbar)
- Round
- 5
- Time
- 4:59
-
Win
vs Louis Gaudinot
UFC 182 · Jan 3, 2015 · Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 5:00
-
Win
vs Jon delos Reyes
UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Nelson · Sep 20, 2014 · Saitama, Japan
- Method
- TKO (punches)
- Round
- 1
- Time
- 3:48
-
Win
vs Darrell Montague
UFC Fight Night: Brown vs. Silva · May 10, 2014 · Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 5:00
-
Win
vs Dustin Pague
UFC 166 · Oct 19, 2013 · Houston, Texas, United States
- Method
- TKO (punches)
- Round
- 2
- Time
- 3:51
-
Win
vs Shintaro Ishiwatari Title
Vale Tudo Japan 2nd · Jun 22, 2013 · Tokyo, Japan
- Method
- TKO (punches)
- Round
- 5
- Time
- 0:41
-
Win
vs Hiromasa Ougikubo Title
Shooto: 2nd Round 2013 · Mar 16, 2013 · Tokyo, Japan
- Method
- Submission (rear-naked choke)
- Round
- 2
- Time
- 1:35
-
Win
vs Ian Loveland
Vale Tudo Japan 1st · Dec 24, 2012 · Tokyo, Japan
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 5:00
-
Win
vs Manabu Inoue
Shooto: 8th Round 2012 · Jul 16, 2012 · Tokyo, Japan
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 5:00
-
Win
vs Tetsu Suzuki
Shooto: 3rd Round 2012 · Mar 10, 2012 · Tokyo, Japan
- Method
- TKO (punches)
- Round
- 1
- Time
- 2:06
-
Loss
vs Masakatsu Ueda
Shooto: Survivor Tournament Final · Jan 8, 2012 · Tokyo, Japan
- Method
- Decision (majority)
- Round
- 3
- Time
- 5:00
-
Win
vs Naohiro Mizuno
Shooto: Shootor's Legacy 4 · Sep 23, 2011 · Tokyo, Japan
- Method
- KO (punches)
- Round
- 2
- Time
- 3:26
-
Win
vs Yuta Nezu
Shooto: Shootor's Legacy 3 · Jul 18, 2011 · Tokyo, Japan
- Method
- KO (punch)
- Round
- 1
- Time
- 3:17
-
Win
vs Takahiro Hosoi
Shooto: Shooto Tradition 2011 · Apr 29, 2011 · Tokyo, Japan
- Method
- TKO (punches)
- Round
- 1
- Time
- 1:06
-
Win
vs Seiji Akao
Shooto: The Rookie Tournament 2010 Final · Dec 18, 2010 · Tokyo, Japan
- Method
- TKO (punches)
- Round
- 2
- Time
- 0:43
-
Win
vs Keita Ishibashi
Shooto: Gig Tokyo 5 · Aug 7, 2010 · Tokyo, Japan
- Method
- TKO (doctor stoppage)
- Round
- 1
- Time
- 2:23
-
Win
vs Ranki Kawana
Shooto: Kitazawa Shooto Vol. 3 · May 9, 2010 · Tokyo, Japan
- Method
- Decision (unanimous)
- Round
- 2
- Time
- 5:00
Analysis
Kyoji Horiguchi, a Japanese fighter who competed in the UFC from 2013 to 2017 and then in Rizin and Bellator, held major belts in Japan and the United States across two weight classes before returning to the Octagon in 2025. His professional record stands at 36 wins, 6 losses and one no contest.
Background
Born on October 12, 1990, in Takasaki, in Gunma Prefecture, Horiguchi trained in karate before adding boxing to his arsenal. He learned his trade at the Krazy Bee gym and turned professional in 2010. That same year he won the Shooto rookie tournament, then the organization’s bantamweight belt, which he defended before leaving Japan for the United States.
He joined the UFC in October 2013 and fought eight times at flyweight. After four straight wins, he faced Demetrious Johnson for the division title on April 25, 2015, at UFC 186, and lost to an armbar with five seconds left in the fifth round. He left the organization in 2017 to return to Japan.
Return to Japan, Bellator and Then the UFC
In Rizin, Horiguchi won the 2017 bantamweight tournament and piled up wins, including a nine-second KO of Ian McCall in May 2018. In June 2019, he beat Darrion Caldwell by decision at Bellator 222. Two losses followed, against Kai Asakura at Rizin 18 and then against Sergio Pettis and Patrick Mix in Bellator, before he got back on track. On December 31, 2023, he submitted Makoto Takahashi with a rear-naked choke to become Bellator’s first MMA flyweight champion. He beat Kai Asakura by KO in December 2020 and Sergio Pettis by decision in June 2024.
His UFC return came on November 22, 2025, in Al Rayyan, with a technical submission of Tagir Ulanbekov that earned him Performance of the Night. He then beat Amir Albazi by decision on February 8, 2026, in Las Vegas. On June 20, 2026, he lost by third-round TKO to Manel Kape, in a rematch booked as the headliner.
Fighting Style
Horiguchi is a speed striker. His karate base gives him explosive changes of distance, straight-line entries and an immediate lateral exit after his combinations. Boxing adds volume in close range. He is also one of the most consistent finishers of his generation: 15 of his 36 wins by KO or TKO, 6 by submission, 15 by decision. His 5’9″ (175 cm) reach, unusual for a 5’4″ (163 cm) frame, lets him land without stepping into the counter zone.
Record and Titles
- Professional record: 36 wins, 6 losses, 1 no contest
- Wins by method: 15 by KO or TKO, 6 by submission, 15 by decision
- Bellator’s first MMA flyweight champion (December 2023)
- Rizin flyweight champion, title vacated in March 2025
- Winner of the 2017 Rizin bantamweight tournament
- Shooto bantamweight champion and winner of the 2010 rookie tournament
- UFC Performance of the Night against Tagir Ulanbekov (November 2025)
Fighter Profile
- Name: Kyoji Horiguchi (堀口 恭司)
- Nickname: The Supernova
- Born: October 12, 1990, in Takasaki (Japan)
- Nationality: Japanese
- Height: 5’4″ (163 cm)
- Reach: 5’9″ (175 cm)
- Division: flyweight
- Team: American Top Team, trained at Krazy Bee
- Martial arts base: karate, boxing
Sources
Data updated on September 28, 2026. Record and measurements cross-checked against official results and Wikipedia. Text written by the MMA Official editorial team.