Manel Kape credits Kyoji Horiguchi for shaping his flyweight rise

Manel Kape says his former opponent remains the toughest test of his career. The flyweight contender pointed to their 2017 meeting as the turning point in his development.

“Horiguchi is an amazing fighter, the best fighter I've ever fought in my life. What I've become is because of him. In 2017, I wanted to be like him. If I'm here in this position, it's because of Kyoji.”

— Manel Kape, via ESPN

What Manel Kape said

Kape and Horiguchi met years ago when the Brazilian was climbing the flyweight ranks. Horiguchi has competed across multiple promotions and remains a fixture in Asia's MMA scene. Kape now sits in the UFC flyweight mix after a string of finishes.

What it moves

The tribute suggests Kape views technical growth over finishing sequences as his career marker. Whether Horiguchi factors into the UFC picture depends on the promotion's appetite for a rematch that carries historical weight but unclear divisional stakes.

Source: espn.com. Full Manel Kape fight history and recent news at boxingnews.com.