The former UFC flyweight title-challenger Kyoji Horiguchi continued his remarkable form since leaving the UFC last year with another win, this time in the RIZIN Bantamweight Grand Prix.
It could be a long shot, but the man who has the tools to defeat the mighty Demetrious Johnson once and for all might not even fight in the UFC anymore.
Kyoji Horiguchi faced Johnson back in 2015 and to most fight-fans, will be remembered because of the fact that he was submitted by the 125lb champ with just one second remaining on the clock in the very last round of their five-round affair. In fairness, it was a record that will not soon be conquered on the part of Johnson but for Horiguchi, it stood as one of just two losses that he has sustained in his career to date.
Irish fans might have a bone to pick with this Japanese fighter after his polished win over Neil Seery at UFC Rotterdam last year but make no mistake, this guy is a serious talent, something he proved once again by winning himself the RIZIN bantamweight title during their Grand Prix last night with an absolutely stunning right-hand shot.
Kyoji Horiguchi wins Bantamweight GP via KO
hope one day he will return to the @UFC pic.twitter.com/htO9CRlcAL
#RIZINFF #RIZINガール #RIZIN2017 @kyoji1012 #mma— Denis Horvat (@denishorvat85) December 31, 2017
Since losing to ‘Mighty Mouse’, Horiguchi has won eight straight and though it was he himself who parted ways with the UFC during contract negotiations, one would have to assume that the promotion are kicking themselves due to the fact that they may well have let the second best flyweight on the planet loose in his prime.
At 27-years-old, Kyoji has all of the time needed to plot a return to the world’s premier mixed martial arts promotion but still, with Johnson wiping the floor with everyone else right now – and with a move to 135lb of his own possibly on the horizon, who knows if we will ever get an opportunity to see a rematch between these two.
Cillian Cunningham, Pundit Arena
Read More About: 125lbs, demetrious johnson, flyweight, grand prix, kyoji horiguchi, RIZIN
