Kyoji Horiguchi releases first statement after knockout loss to Manel Kape: ‘I’m not giving up on my dream yet’

Kyoji Horiguchi delivered a gracious post-fight statement after a stunning third-round knockout loss to Manel Kape in their UFC rematch, vowing to rebound and continue his pursuit of flyweight gold.

Horiguchi controlled much of the fight until Kape landed a perfectly-timed counter right hand that sent the Japanese veteran to the canvas. After eating a follow-up barrage of strikes, referee Herb Dean was forced to halt the contest. Though Horiguchi briefly protested the stoppage in the moment, he later took to Twitter to acknowledge the defeat with class, writing: "I got spectacularly knocked out. I'm truly sorry. Kape was strong." He added: "I'll retrain and be back in no time! I'm not giving up on my dream yet."

The loss marked Horiguchi's first setback since returning to the UFC but comes against an opponent he has already defeated. In their first meeting at RIZIN in 2017, Horiguchi submitted Kape. At 35 years old and holding a 36-6 overall record, the veteran remains one of the sport's elite flyweights. His recent resume is particularly strong—7-1 with one no contest over his last eight fights, primarily at 125 pounds. His only other UFC loss came in a title bid against flyweight GOAT Demetrious Johnson in 2015. Given that Horiguchi was in control for much of the fight before the knockout, the setback may not drop him significantly in the rankings, and his stated motivation suggests an imminent return.