Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Ali Bagautinov Set for UFC Fight Night in Manila
Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Ali Bagautinov Set for UFC Fight Night in Manila
Former UFC flyweight title challengers Kyoji Horiguchi and Ali Bagautinov are slated to square off in Manila.
A big fight in the flyweight division has been added to UFC Fight Night Manila.
The UFC announced on Monday night Kyoji Horiguchi will face Ali Bagautinov in a battle of two former UFC flyweight title contenders, which is set to take place on October 15.
Horiguchi (17-2-0), comes into the fight having won two on the bounce since his title fight with Demetrious Johnson back in April 2015. The Japanese man beat Chico Camus at UFC Fight Night: Barnett vs. Nelson in Japan before defeating Neil Seery earlier this year at UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Arlovski in Rotterdam earlier this year.
Horiguchi has won ten of his last eleven fights and was only defeated by Johnson by submission with only one second remaining in the fifth round. Horiguchi believes he's one win away from another title shot, but to earn that he has to beat a very highly rated Russian opponent.
Bagautinov (14-4-0), is another man looking to get back into the UFC flyweight title picture and like Horiguchi, he comes into the fight off the back of a win. The Russian was last seen at UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs McDonald earlier this year where he defeated Gene Herrera via unanimous decision.
Bagautinov has also faced Demetrious Johnson previously in June 2014 at UFC 174. He lost the fight via unanimous decision and was later found guilty by the British Columbia Athletic Commission (BCAC) to have tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO) prior to the title fight.
Subsequently, the BCAC suspended him from mixed martial arts competition for one year and he returned at UFC 192 in October 2015 where he was defeated by Joseph Benavidez. Bagautinov returned to action to face Geane Herrera at Fight Night 89 back in June where he picked up the unanimous decision victory.
The UFC announced on Monday night Kyoji Horiguchi will face Ali Bagautinov in a battle of two former UFC flyweight title contenders, which is set to take place on October 15.
Horiguchi (17-2-0), comes into the fight having won two on the bounce since his title fight with Demetrious Johnson back in April 2015. The Japanese man beat Chico Camus at UFC Fight Night: Barnett vs. Nelson in Japan before defeating Neil Seery earlier this year at UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Arlovski in Rotterdam earlier this year.
Horiguchi has won ten of his last eleven fights and was only defeated by Johnson by submission with only one second remaining in the fifth round. Horiguchi believes he's one win away from another title shot, but to earn that he has to beat a very highly rated Russian opponent.
Bagautinov (14-4-0), is another man looking to get back into the UFC flyweight title picture and like Horiguchi, he comes into the fight off the back of a win. The Russian was last seen at UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs McDonald earlier this year where he defeated Gene Herrera via unanimous decision.
Bagautinov has also faced Demetrious Johnson previously in June 2014 at UFC 174. He lost the fight via unanimous decision and was later found guilty by the British Columbia Athletic Commission (BCAC) to have tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO) prior to the title fight.
Subsequently, the BCAC suspended him from mixed martial arts competition for one year and he returned at UFC 192 in October 2015 where he was defeated by Joseph Benavidez. Bagautinov returned to action to face Geane Herrera at Fight Night 89 back in June where he picked up the unanimous decision victory.