Overview
- Kape, which confirmed Tuesday he accepted a June 20 main event with Horiguchi at the Meta APEX, said he chose to stay active rather than wait for a title chance.
- Multiple outlets reported the matchup as the UFC Vegas 119 headliner via MMA Junkie, though UFC officials had not formally announced the card.
- UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van challenged Kape’s public account of past offer talks, telling MMA Junkie Radio that Kape “lied” about who turned down what.
- Fans criticized staging the rematch at the small Apex facility, arguing two former RIZIN champions could draw a large crowd in Japan.
- With Van set to defend against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 327 in April, the Kape–Horiguchi winner is widely viewed as next in line, and their first meeting in 2017 ended with Horiguchi submitting Kape.