Rizin flyweight champion Kyoji Horiguchi of Japan has spoken about his desire to return to the UFC and fight Brazilian flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja.
I still want to go back [to the UFC], but I don't know. They don't want [me], I can't go (laughs).
MMAmania quotes Horiguchi as saying:
[We're] really good friends, [it would be a] good fight, we're teammates. It's gonna be hard. I want to fight with him, yeah. I think it's a fun thing because all the time I talk about a UFC title shot, I tell Pantoja, 'If I go to UFC, I can easily beat you up.' I say that, but it's a joke, you know. I want every organization's belt, but if they don't want [me], I can't go (laughs). That's not my problem.
Recall, Horiguchi performed in the UFC from 2013 to 2016, having won seven victories and suffered one defeat during this time.
On 9 June in Tokyo in the framework of the tournament Rizin 47 Horiguchi will hold a rematch with Sergio Pettis. The fighters' first fight, which took place in December 2021 at Bellator 272, ended with Pettis winning by knockout in the fourth round.
Horiguchi, 33, last fought in December 2023 at Rizin 45, defeating Makoto Takahashi by second-round choke. He has 32 wins and five losses on his record, with one other fight ruled a no contest.