UFC Vegas 119 Results: Manel Kape Stops Kyoji Horiguchi in Flyweight Title Eliminator

The UFC returned to the Apex in Las Vegas on June 20 with UFC Vegas 119, headlined by a long-awaited rematch between top flyweight contenders Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi.

Nine years after suffering a submission loss to Horiguchi in RIZIN, Kape finally got his revenge, finishing the Japanese star in the third round and likely securing himself the next shot at the UFC Flyweight Championship. The card also featured a breakout performance from undefeated light heavyweight prospect Navajo Stirling and a rare twister submission from rising featherweight Murtazali Magomedov.

Main Event: Manel Kape def. Kyoji Horiguchi via TKO (Round 3, 2:42)

The flyweight main event started with Horiguchi showing the speed and movement that made him one of the best lighter-weight fighters outside the UFC. The former Bellator and RIZIN champion enjoyed success early, but Kape gradually found his timing and began landing the more damaging strikes.

In the third round, Kape connected with a clean combination that hurt Horiguchi before swarming with punches to force the referee stoppage at 2:42. The victory avenged Kape’s 2017 loss and extended his winning streak to four consecutive stoppage victories. The win also strengthened his claim for a UFC title shot.

Co-Main Event: Navajo Stirling def. Ion Cutelaba via TKO (Round 2, 3:23)

New Zealand’s Navajo Stirling continued his rise through the light heavyweight division with an impressive stoppage victory over veteran Ion Cutelaba. After surviving Cutelaba’s early pressure, Stirling took control in the second round and finished the fight with a barrage of punches and elbows. The undefeated prospect improved to 10-0 and announced himself as a serious contender to watch at 205 pounds.

Main Card Results

Christian Rodriguez def. Hyder Amil via Submission (Guillotine Choke, Round 1, 3:43)

Rodriguez halted Hyder Amil’s momentum with a slick first-round guillotine choke. “CeeRod” showcased his grappling skills and secured one of the quickest finishes of the evening.

Murtazali Magomedov def. Melsik Baghdasaryan via Submission (Twister, Round 1, 1:17)

Magomedov delivered the most unique finish of the card, locking up a rare twister submission just 77 seconds into the opening round. The spectacular finish earned widespread attention and further established him as a featherweight prospect to watch.

Vinicius Oliveira def. Andre Fili via TKO (Round 2, 4:56)

Vinicius Oliveira closed out the main card with a dramatic late stoppage over veteran Andre Fili. Oliveira overwhelmed Fili with elbows and punches in the closing seconds of the second round to secure the TKO victory.

Preliminary Card Results

Kevin Borjas def. Andre Lima via Unanimous Decision

Scores: 30-27, 29-28, 29-28. Borjas earned a competitive decision victory in the flyweight division.

Beatriz Mesquita def. Melissa Mullins via Submission (Armbar, Round 1, 3:16)

Decorated grappler Beatriz Mesquita showcased her world-class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, securing a first-round armbar finish.

Mitch Raposo def. Allan Nascimento via Split Decision

Scores: 29-28, 28-29, 29-28. Raposo edged out a closely contested flyweight battle.

Gaston Bolanos def. Michael Aswell Jr. via Unanimous Decision

Scores: 29-28 across the board. Bolanos controlled much of the action to earn the decision victory.

Levan Chokheli def. Leon Shahbazyan via TKO (Round 1, 0:23)

One of the fastest finishes of the year saw Chokheli stop Shahbazyan just 23 seconds into the fight after damaging leg kicks opened the door for a quick finish.

Luana Santos def. Karol Rosa via Unanimous Decision

Scores: 30-27, 30-27, 30-27. Santos turned in a dominant performance over the ranked Rosa to score a significant win in the women’s bantamweight division.

Final Thoughts

UFC Vegas 119 belonged to Manel Kape. After years of climbing the flyweight rankings and falling just short of championship opportunities, Kape finally earned his signature victory by stopping Kyoji Horiguchi in their long-awaited rematch. With four straight stoppage wins and a highlight-reel finish over a former Bellator and RIZIN champion, Kape appears destined for a UFC flyweight title opportunity in his next outing. Meanwhile, Navajo Stirling and Murtazali Magomedov emerged as two of the biggest winners of the night, each taking significant steps toward contention in their respective divisions.