Las Vegas — Despite being a step ahead of Amir Albazi for a full three rounds at UFC Vegas 113 and earning a unanimous decision win, Japan’s Kyoji Horiguchi wasn’t satisfied with his showing on Saturday.
“Not the best performance,” Horiguchi (36-5, 1NC) reflected following the co-main event fight. “I want to finish him.”
Speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press, the veteran flyweight noted that there wasn’t anything specific in his approach that he would have changed. “There’s nothing really in particular that I didn’t like about my performance tonight, other than just not being able to finish. It’s just that. That’s not what I wanted tonight.”
Now, the focus is back on gold. After nearly a decade away from the UFC, where he won bantamweight gold in both Bellator and RIZIN, as well as a flyweight title in RIZIN, Horiguchi returned to the UFC to prove he’s the best in the world.
“Of course I want to get the belt soon,” said Horiguchi, who plans to keep training and return to American Top Team in Florida shortly. “I’m just focused on the belt.”
One hiccup might be a broken hand he believes he sustained in the opening round of the fight with Albazi. Asked about a timeframe for his next fight, Horiguchi noted that “I’m not sure, because maybe my hand is a little broken. But when I fix this, doesn’t matter: anywhere, any time, I can fight. Okay?”
As to why he chose now (he made his comeback late last year) to make his return to the promotion, it’s “because my best time is right now,” said Horiguchi. “That’s why I’m challenging to the UFC. That’s why.”
Kyoji Horiguchi has been open about his willingness to face teammate Alexandre Pantoja for flyweight gold, to show who the best in the world truly is. Yet in December, Pantoja fell to injury in a fight with Josh Van, losing his title.
He told Cageside Press on Saturday, asked if fighting Pantoja would have meant more, that “I don’t care. I want a belt, so if the champion is Pantoja, yes, Pantoja. Other guy? Yes, other guy!”
That said, Horiguchi would be happy to make Pantoja his first title defense. “Yeah of course. Because he defended many times. I think he’s a true champion.” Noting the “accidental” nature of Pantoja’s loss, Horiguchi reiterated that. “I think he’s a true champion.”
Horiguchi later credited his team for his success, calling ATT coach Mike Brown an “MMA Otaku” (MMA nerd).
Watch the full UFC Vegas 113 post-fight press conference with Kyoji Horiguchi above.
