Kyoji Horiguchi has returned to the UFC with one goal in mind – to capture the UFC gold.
As a former Bellator and RIZIN champion, Horiguchi (34-5 MMA, 7-1 UFC) is determined to add another prestigious title to his collection.
“I always wanted to come back to the UFC. Every time, I had that in my mind,” Horiguchi expressed to MMA Junkie at American Top Team. “I have my sights set on the belt. But my friend currently holds the title. It’s going to be a great fight.”
Returning to action on June 21 in Baku, Azerbaijan, Horiguchi will face Tagir Ulanbekov (16-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC). This fight marks his first UFC appearance since his victory over Ali Bagautinov in November 2016. Horiguchi’s only UFC loss came in a title fight against Demetrious Johnson at UFC 186 in April 2015.
“I have grown and learned from every situation,” Horiguchi reflected on his evolution since his last UFC title bout. “I have made significant improvements and I am eager to showcase my skills in the UFC.”
Although not officially confirmed by the UFC, a potential title clash between Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Kara-France seems to be on the horizon.
Horiguchi and Pantoja (29-5 MMA, 13-3 UFC) have trained together for a long time at ATT. Despite their friendship, both fighters are open to the idea of facing each other inside the Octagon. This situation is not new to their gym, which has seen many teammates compete against each other in the past.
“As fighters and friends, we understand that this is part of the sport. We can both benefit from this fight financially,” Horiguchi explained. “If we do decide to fight, we can have separate training sessions to prepare adequately.”
Throughout his career, Horiguchi has competed in both flyweight and bantamweight divisions. However, his current focus is solely on the flyweight division as he aims to capture the title in that weight class.
“My priority right now is to win the flyweight title. I am fully concentrated on that goal,” Horiguchi affirmed.
For more MMA content and discussions, be sure to follow MMA Junkie on Instagram and YouTube.