\u201cStarboy\u201d wants to prove a point.<\/p>\n
No. 2-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Flyweight Manel Kape returns to action in a rematch nine years in the making<\/a> against Japanese star Kyoji Horiguchi in the main event of UFC Vegas 119<\/a> this weekend (Sat., June 20, 2026) inside the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.<\/p>\n While it has not been made official, Kape vs. Horiguchi will most likely serve as a title eliminator to determine who fights for the belt next after champion Joshua Van rematches Alexandre Pantoja later this year.<\/p>\n But according to Kape, he did not even have to take this fight.<\/p>\n Usually, when a fighter gets offered a title shot and passes, the promotion kicks them to the back of the line. But for Kape, he claims he could have simply waited for the next title opportunity.<\/p>\n Instead, he wanted to make a statement by fighting the ultra-dangerous Horiguchi, who has been on a roll.<\/p>\n \u201c100 percent [he\u2019s the hardest opponent in the division], that\u2019s why I picked this guy,\u201d Kape said at UFC Vegas 119 media day. \u201cSo I can scare the other guys that maybe might fight for the title. If I faced this guy, I didn\u2019t wait because I had the option to wait for the title shot. I chose the stronger opponent than both of them. So, this tells a lot about me and how confident I am, and how much work I\u2019ve been putting in. I have the mentality of a champion \u2014 no matter who, I\u2019ll face them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStarboy\u201d is gambling on himself, and he sounds ultra-confident about it.<\/p>\n That is the risk Kape is taking.<\/p>\n Still, Kape is riding a three-fight win streak, with all three wins coming by knockout. And if he can add Horiguchi to that run, there should be no more waiting, debating or wondering who is next.<\/p>\n