How a single knockout changed the course of a mixed martial arts career
In short: At age 16, Kyoji Horiguchi watched a PRIDE event and saw a fighter knock out much larger men. That moment sparked a professional journey through the world's most elite cages, from the UFC to RIZIN, defined by rapid knockouts and championship dominance.
Born in 1990, Horiguchi's path to professional mixed martial arts began in 2010 after a childhood spent training in karate. His early career was marked by rapid success in the Shooto promotion, where he secured the Bantamweight Championship in March 2013 by submitting Hiromasa Ougikubo. His explosive power earned him the nickname "The Typhoon," a reputation solidified by a 9-second knockout of Ian McCall in 2018, one of the fastest stoppages in RIZIN history. His career is a study in versatility and resilience across multiple weight classes and promotions. In the UFC, he experienced the extremes of the sport, including a historic loss to Demetrious Johnson in 2015, where an armbar at 4:59 of the fifth round resulted in the latest finish in UFC history.
After choosing not to renew his UFC contract in 2017, he transitioned to RIZIN, where he became the inaugural Bantamweight Champion and later the inaugural Flyweight Champion. Despite setbacks, such as a 15-month hiatus following knee surgery in 2019, Horiguchi has maintained a presence at the highest level. He has held titles in RIZIN and Bellator MMA, navigating the complexities of multi-promotion contracts to compete in both the Bantamweight and Flyweight divisions. As of July 2026, he remains a top-ranked competitor in the UFC flyweight division.
Horiguchi's career illustrates the intense physical and mental demands of professional fighting, where a single injury can vacate a title or halt momentum for over a year.
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