Kyoji Horiguchi Record: 36-6-0

RIZIN and Bellator championship years

Back home, Horiguchi became the face of RIZIN's bantamweight division. He stopped a string of contenders, including a third-round arm-triangle submission of Manel Kape in 2017 and a first-round knockout of Ian McCall at RIZIN 10 in 2018. His run earned him a cross-promotional shot at the Bellator belt, and he captured championships in both RIZIN and Bellator, cementing his status as one of the world's elite. A knockout win over Ben Nguyen in April 2019 continued the streak before a stunning first-round knockout loss to Kai Asakura at RIZIN 18. Horiguchi avenged that defeat emphatically, stopping Asakura inside a round at RIZIN 26 in December 2020.

Setbacks and resurgence

The early 2020s brought adversity: a fourth-round spinning-backfist knockout loss to Sergio Pettis at Bellator 272 in 2021 and a decision defeat to Patchy Mix at Bellator 279 in 2022. Horiguchi answered with a gritty rebuild, avenging the Pettis loss by unanimous decision at RIZIN 47 in June 2024. He then returned to the UFC and announced himself at flyweight again with a third-round rear-naked choke of Tagir Ulanbekov in November 2025 and a decision win over Amir Albazi in February 2026.

Fighting style

Horiguchi is a karate-based pressure striker whose hand speed and timing remain elite into his mid-30s. Roughly 58% of his wins come by stoppage, split between 15 knockouts and six submissions, reflecting a fighter who can end nights on the feet but has grown comfortable finishing on the mat as well. His unconventional stance and footwork make him a difficult read, and his championship-level cardio lets him maintain output across five rounds. The blemishes on his record have largely come against the very best — Johnson, Pettis, Mix and Asakura — underscoring the level at which he has competed.

Career highlights

• Two-promotion champion — held bantamweight titles in both RIZIN and Bellator, a rare cross-promotional distinction that placed him among the world's best.
• Avenged his biggest losses — knocked out Kai Asakura in their rematch and beat Sergio Pettis by decision to settle the score at RIZIN 47.
• Came within minutes of UFC gold — took flyweight king Demetrious Johnson into the fifth round in one of the most competitive title fights of that era.