Former Bellator MMA and RIZIN bantamweight champ, and UFC flyweight title challenger Kyoji Horiguchi was once again in pursuit of gold at Bellator x RIZIN on Saturday.
Taking place at the famed Saitama Super Arena just outside Tokyo, Horiguchi was paired up against fellow Japanese standout Makoto Shinryu with the inaugural Bellator flyweight championship on the line.
While Horiguchi had once been a two-promotion champ simultaneously, he had yet to claim gold in his natural flyweight division. That was something the American Top Team fighter was looking to change on Saturday — but after an unfortunate turn of events, he never got a chance to show why.
Horiguchi entered the five-round affair, serving as the Bellator x RIZIN co-main event, as a sizable favorite. He would not, however, be able to get much action in. Early on in the fight, an eye poke halted the action, with Shinryu in some noticeable discomfort. The eye was definitely red, and eventually, the doctor was brought in to examine the younger fighter. Shinryu indicated he was having trouble with his vision, and after a full five minutes, the ref waved off the bout.
This is the second straight match-up that has ended badly for Horiguchi — in April, a fight with Ray Borg fell through on weigh-in day after Borg missed weight. Now, with gold on the line, a chance at history has been snatched from the Japanese star’s fingers. While the Bellator flyweight championship, meanwhile, sits vacant.
Official Result: Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Makoto Shinryu ends in a No Contest (accidental eye poke), Round 1, 0:25
