Kyoji
Horiguchi is headed back to the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.
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The Japanese standout announced during Rizin
50 on Sunday that he is vacating his
Rizin Fighting Federation flyweight belt to sign with the Las
Vegas-based promotion, where he previously fought from 2013 to
2016. A date for Horiguchi’s UFC return was not revealed.
“I’m going to the UFC,” Horiguchi said. “I’m going to become the
first Japanese UFC champion.”
🚨 2 BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS! 🚨
1️⃣ RIZIN Flyweight Champion, Kyoji Horiguchi, will vacate the
title and go to the UFC.(continued) pic.twitter.com/irhoyQZmmQ
— RIZIN.tv (@RIZINTV_)
March 30, 2025
Horiguchi went 7-1 during his UFC tenure, with his only loss coming
in a flyweight title bout against then champion Demetrious
Johnson in April 2015. The 34-year-old
American Top Team representative has gone 14-1 with one no
contest under the Rizin banner, earning notable victories over the
likes of Manel Kape,
Ian
McCall, Darrion
Caldwell, Kai Asakura
and Sergio
Pettis, among others. He also enjoyed a brief stint as Bellator
and Rizin bantamweight champion. Horiguchi is a training partner of
reigning UFC flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja at ATT.
Rizin announced on Sunday that it will hold a flyweight grand prix
to determine a new champion in Horiguchi’s absence.