One of Japan’s finest is back in the Octagon
Kyoji Horiguchi is officially booked for the first fight of his second UFC stint opposite Russian standout Tagir Ulanbekov. The pair will face off on June 21 inside the Baku Crystal Hall in Azerbaijan in the three-round co-main event beneath the Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree main event booking.
Horiguchi left the UFC way back in 2016 while riding a three-fight win streak and ranked in the Top Five. The only man to defeat “The Typhoon” inside the Octagon was Demetrious Johnson at the peak of his powers, and since then, Horiguchi has scored some great victories in RIZIN and Bellator. He captured two titles in RIZIN, defeating the likes of Kai Asakura and Manel Kape in the process. At 34 years of age, it’s not clear how much Horiguchi has left in the tank, but he returns on a six-fight unbeaten streak.
As for Ulanbekov, the Team Khabib member has built up an impressive 5-1 record inside the Octagon. Most recently, he turned away blue chip prospect Clayton Carpenter at UFC 311. This is a major step up for Ulanbekov, who has the opportunity to score the best win of his career in Azerbaijan.
Expect more UFC Baku fight card announcements in the coming weeks. In the interim, who wins this pivotal Flyweight clash?
