Kyoji Horiguchi, a former UFC flyweight contender, aims to establish himself as the world’s best flyweight by focusing on his 125-pound title in RIZIN, and is set to face Nkazimulo Zulu at RIZIN Decade after a decade-long unbeaten streak in the division.
Kyoji Horiguchi made history by becoming the first fighter to hold titles in two major MMA promotions at once, specifically Bellator and RIZIN. But times have changed since then.
Once a UFC flyweight contender, Horiguchi now reigns as RIZIN’s 125-pound champion. His focus? Dominating Asia and proving he’s the world’s top flyweight before considering another weight class shift.
Undefeated as a flyweight for nearly a decade, Horiguchi is set to face Nkazimulo Zulu on December 31 at RIZIN Decade in Saitama, Japan. A showdown not to miss!
“I believe that flyweight is my weight class,” Horiguchi told MMA Fighting via a translator. “My goal is to be the best in the world at flyweight.”
He continued, “Once I’ve achieved that, maybe I’ll think about bantamweight again. But for now? Flyweight all the way.”
Zulu, known for claiming the EFC bantamweight title in 2023, recently returned to flyweight to defend his title. He made an impressive debut in Japan by stopping Jo Arai in round one.
“In this industry, if you’re tough and skilled, you deserve a shot,” Horiguchi said. “I’m ready for anyone under the flyweight division.”
About Zulu, he added, “He’s athletic and explosive—a good fighter. My plan? To fight wherever it leads—striking or ground.”
Interestingly, Zulu wasn’t Horiguchi’s original opponent. Alibek Gadzhammatov was initially lined up but became unavailable.
“RIZIN’s gathering solid flyweights globally,” Horiguchi noted. “I was set to fight Gadzhammatov after his November bout, but things changed.”
Despite these shifts, Horiguchi sees potential opponents in RIZIN’s roster who need more exposure before a championship clash. With Jose Torres facing Makoto Shinryu at RIZIN Decade, future possibilities loom large.
“Sounds nice,” Horiguchi mused about potential future matchups. “If it happens, it happens.”