The UFC has been able to acquire a number of major signing sessions that have achieved success in other major promotions in recent years.
Patricio Pitbull will debut at UFC 314 next month, because he will be the newest ex-call hunter to switch the Octagon.
On UFC 310 last December, former Rizin star Kai Asakura debuted in a title shot that did not go his way after he had been submitted by flight weight champion Alexandre Pantoja.
This step was proof of a growing relationship between the UFC and Rizin that could see the Roster coming on the Roster in the coming months.
Kyoji Horiguchi has written history several times since leaving the UFC in 2017 seems to be for a return to the UFC.
Photo by Masashi Hara/Getty images
Adriano Moraes' teammate says' goat 'kyoji horiguchi can do what he wants
After debuting in the UFC in 2013 with a record of 11-1, Kyoji Horiguchi fought 8 times in the Octagon and went 7-1.
His only loss came in a flying weight fight with Demetrious Johnson, where he was submitted with 1 seconds left on the clock before compiling a 3-Fight win-streak.
After his last UFC fight in 2016, Horiguchi signed at Rizin, where he has established himself as a large big one in Japan by writing his name in the history books.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
'The Typhoon' has remained consistently active with victories over his record on his record as Manel Kape, Kai Asakura and Sergio Pettis.
Horiguchi, successfully defended the Rizin Bantamweight Title against Bellator title holder Darrion Caldwell in a Cross-Promotion showcase, reports Caldwell in the Rematch at Bellator 222 to keep both titles of both promotion at the same time.
In Rizin 45 in December 2023 he became the first hunter in the history of the promotion to keep titles in two divisions after he had submitted Makoto Shinryu to win the inaugural flight weight belt.
Horiguchi is currently undefeated in his last 6 trips (including a no-match) with his last defeat against a fragmentary mix at Bellator 279 in April 2022 and now he seems to be hunting again at the Flying Weight schedule of the UFC, as reported by Ariel Helwani.
Some crushing news 🚨
I hear, through several sources, that the UFC very close to the welcome of the former UFC -Titel candidate, the large and very popular, the pride of Japan, Kyoji Horiguchi.
If you remember it, he left the UFC in 2017. He was on a three-fighting winning … pic.twitter.com/aigholfaxo
– Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) March 20, 2025
View tweet
In a recent interview with Bloody Elbow, Horiguchi's American top team training partner Adriano Moraes spoke about the prospect of the former title -publishing back in the Octagon.
Both men train alongside Alexandre Pantoja with Moraes who wants to regain one flight weight title in a rematch with Yuya Wakamatsu in Saitama Super Arena in Japan for a 172.
The Brazilian believes that after some Horiguchi has been able to reach since he left the UFC, he has the power to do what he wants as a competition for the greatest status of all time.
“Horiguchi has already done many things for this sport. He thinks the only hunter who has a world championship in both promotions and Bellator, I think this is a goat, you know. I think he can go for him. If he wants to go to the UFC, he can go. If he can go, he can go. He can go.
“I think he is at a stage where he can do everything he wants and I am really happy that he stays in this kind of place for his career because he deserves it. He is very disciplined and I can't wait which place he will fight, I will certainly be in his team.”
What does Kyoji Horiguchi fit in?
Ariel Helwani reported that a potential UFC decline could take place for Kyoji Horiguchi during the planned debut of the promotion in Azerbaijan in June, where the #11-ranged Tagir Ulanbekov is a name in the mix.
The biggest question about Horiguchi's return is what this means for Alexandre Pantoja because the two teammates will probably not face each other.
There is certainly no shortage of interesting opponents for the Japanese star, whether it is new challenges such as Ulanbekov or familiar faces such as Kai Asakura and Manel Kape.
Perhaps there could be a scenario where as Horiguchi states in the title, Pantoja goes to Bantamweight after he has already defeated the majority of the best contenders in the division.
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