Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Asu Almabayev
UFC Fight Night · November 21, 2026 · ABHA Arena · Main Card 1:00 PM ET
The brief
- What kind of fight
- Veteran striker vs. ranked submission threat
- Finish likelihood
- Medium
- The line
- No line posted yet
- The stakes
- Flyweight · Main Card
The read
Almabayev's takedowns and finishing instincts on the mat are the biggest threat in this fight, and his ranking reflects real recent results.
Horiguchi's speed and counter-striking have carried him past dangerous competition before, but he is coming off a stoppage loss and a tough recent run.
A tight, rank-affirming fight for whoever controls where it happens.
The matchup
Almabayev's grappling pedigree and submission rate make him a live threat to end Horiguchi's night anywhere the fight hits the mat.
The Kazakh contender, ranked three spots above his opponent, is coming off a finish of Charles Johnson, while Horiguchi returns from a stoppage loss to Manel Kape looking to prove he still belongs at the division's top table.
Tale of the tape
| 36-6 | Record | 24-3 |
| 36 | Age | 32 |
| 5'5" | Height | 5'4" |
| 66" | Reach | 65" |
| — | Stance | — |
| Japan | Country | Kazakhstan |
| American Top Team | Team | — |
The numbers
Career UFC averages. Red bar = statistical edge.
The fighters
Kyoji Horiguchi 36-6
Kyoji Horiguchi is a 36-year-old Japanese flyweight and the division's No. 8-ranked contender, fighting out of American Top Team. He lost his most recent outing to Manel Kape by third-round TKO in June 2026, a setback that came after a unanimous-decision win over Amir Albazi that February. He now meets No. 5-ranked Asu Almabayev in a pivotal flyweight clash. His career record also includes one no contest not reflected in the win-loss total.
- LManel Kape · KO/TKO, R3 2:42UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Horiguchi 2 · June 20, 2026
- WAmir Albazi · Decision (unanimous)UFC Vegas 113 · February 7, 2026
- WTagir Ulanbekov · Submission (rear-naked choke), R3 2:18UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Hooker · November 22, 2025
Asu Almabayev 24-3
Asu Almabayev is a 32-year-old Kazakh flyweight and the division's No. 5-ranked contender, with 11 of his 24 career wins coming by submission. He most recently submitted Charles Johnson in the third round at UFC Fight Night in Baku in June 2026. He now meets veteran contender Kyoji Horiguchi in Doha.
- WCharles Johnson · Submission (Suloev stretch), R3UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Torres · June 27, 2026