UFC Fight Night: Manel Kape vs. Kyoji Horiguchi — Odds & Expert Picks

Familiar faces meet in a new setting on UFC Fight Night . Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi import their rivalry from Japan to the United States on Saturday night. The winner will close in on a shot at the UFC flyweight championship.

Kape (22-7) and Horiguchi (36-5, 1 NC) met nearly a decade ago in the 2017 Rizin Bantamweight Grand Prix semifinals. Kape, appropriately nicknamed "Starboy," entered the fight with no shortage of confidence. Fresh off a knockout win over UFC alum Ian McCall, Kape crossed neutral territory during his fighter introduction and boldly raised his hands in front of Horiguchi. That confidence did not translate to success. Horiguchi proceeded to knock down and submit Kape in the third round before going on to win the Grand Prix.

It's one of Kape's favorite fights despite the loss. He was an athletic but relatively inexperienced fighter competing on a major stage. Having returned home to care for his ill mother, Kape only had his cousin, who had a background in wrestling, as a training partner. He still managed to go nearly 15 minutes with a former UFC title challenger on a major stage. Now he's ranked ahead of Horiguchi in the UFC flyweight division and excited to show the full extent of his powers.

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"I won all these fights only through will. I had no big environment or resources. I went in there with a guy who was already in the big leagues. He had everything around him [to succeed]," Kape told CBS Sports. "I gave him the most challenging fight he had in Japan. We went toe-to-toe. I felt like I could beat this guy. I just needed something more. I needed to be more professional. If we fought equally, I'd be that guy. I'm not saying easily, but comfortably.

"Right now, I'm not the young kid from nine years ago. I have all the resources I need. 100%, he's going to feel what I felt before."

Horiguchi didn't leave the UFC in 2017 because he wasn't good enough -- a flyweight title fight against future UFC Hall of Famer Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson is his only blemish in the Octagon. "The Karate Kid" left the promotion to become a major star in the Japanese market and fight in front of his sensei, Hirou Nihei, who was terminally ill with cancer.

Horiguchi knows that Kape is in prime form, but that doesn't mean Horiguchi's best days are behind him. "The Karate Kid" picked up where he left off nearly 10 years after leaving the UFC, immediately reinserting himself into the flyweight rankings. Amid a generational turnover at flyweight, Horiguchi doesn't see himself as the past.

"My body feels very young," Horiguchi told CBS Sports. "I can't speak for other people, but I'll take care of everything.

"I think everything has changed with [Kape]. He's a better fighter right now. He's a dangerous guy right now, but it doesn't matter for me."

The main card kicks off with a compelling bantamweight clash. Vinicius Oliveira entered the new year with momentum nearly on par with his supreme confidence. Mario Bautista brought him down a peg in their February Fight Night main event. Now, "Lok Dog" aims to bounce back against ultra-experienced veteran Andre Fili , stepping in for Giga Chikadze .

Let's take a look at the rest of the fight card with the latest odds from DraftKings before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event below.

UFC Fight Night card, odds

Favorite Underdog Weightclass

Manel Kape -155

Kyoji Horiguchi +130

Flyweight

Navajo Stirling -305

Ion Cutelaba +245

Light Heavyweight

Christian Rodriguez -185

Hyder Amil +154

Featherweight

Murtazali Magomedov -310 Melsik Baghdasaryan +250 Featherweight Vinicius Oliveira -325 Andre Fili +260 Bantamweight

UFC Fight Night viewing information

Date:  June 20 |  Start time:  8 p.m. ET (Main card) | 5 p.m. ET (Preliminary card) Location:  Meta APEX -- Las Vegas Stream:   Paramount+ (subscribe now for as low as $8.99 per month)

Prediction

Manel Kape vs. Kyoji Horiguchi : Kape has grown into one of the most dangerous flyweights on the planet. He now possesses the skills and experience to support the athleticism that propelled him to Japan's biggest stage. He's found a winning compromise between the aggression that cost him against Horiguchi and the patient counter striker who lost leads in the UFC. Kape's kick knockout win over Brandon Royval elevated him to new heights. His combination of pressure, power, and precision -- aided by subtle stance switches -- will ruin most flyweights. I fear Horiguchi suffers a similar fate on Saturday. Horiguchi, a former Rizin and Bellator champion, does his best work bouncing between ranges. That's a risky game to play with a five-inch reach disadvantage. Horiguchi wrestling isn't elite, but his confidence in mixing it in highlights his intelligence and well-roundedness. He always keeps you thinking. Horiguchi's sharp mind  gives him the runway to win a decision. However, Kape's striking prowess and defensive wrestling are nearly impossible to avoid for 25 minutes.  Pick: Kape via KO3

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/ufc/news/ufc-fight-night-card-predictions-odds-manel-kape-kyoji-horiguchi/)._