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#2. Former Bellator bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell
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Kyoji Horiguchi met Darrion 'The Wolf' Caldwell in the ring on December 31st, 2018. The fight was for the inaugural Rizin bantamweight title.
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The fight came at the perfect time for 'The Typhoon'. Just a year into his Rizin career, Horiguchi had already cleared out the promotion's bantamweight division, forcing Rizin to search for opponents abroad.
The Japanese promotion, working with Bellator President Scott Coker, managed to bring in Bellator bantamweight champion Caldwell as a challenger for Horiguchi.
Caldwell was a dangerous opponent for 'The Typhoon'. The American was a taller and bigger man and boasted serious wrestling credentials, having won the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships back in 2009.
The fight began as a classic striker vs. grappler match up. 'The Wolf' was constantly on the prowl for takedowns, while Horiguchi was looking to keep the fight on the feet. In the first-round, Caldwell landed a takedown and almost secured a kimura. In the second-round, 'The Wolf' used his grappling skills to keep Horiguchi on the ground for most of the round.
In the third round, after being taken down again, Horiguchi managed to secure a tight guillotine, forcing 'The Wolf' to tap.
With this victory, 'The Typhoon' was not only able to win the inaugural Rizin bantamweight championship, but also showcase his skills against another elite champion from a different organization.
Kyoji Horiguchi would defeat Caldwell for a second time several months later at Bellator 222, this time for the Bellator bantamweight title. The victory made the Japanese star a champion in two different promotions, a feat rarely accomplished in MMA.
Watch Kyoji Horiguchi's first fight with Darrion Caldwell below:
#1. Former Rizin bantamweight champion Kai Asakura
Kyoji Horiguchi fought fellow countryman Kai Asakura in 2019 in a non-title bout. Like Caldwell, Asakura had the size advantage. However, unlike Caldwell, Asakura had absolute dynamite in his hands and instead of going for takedowns, he was intent on throwing bombs from the opening bell.
In a shocking upset, Asakura knocked Horiguchi out in the first round.
After the defeat, Horiguchi was forced to vacate his Rizin and Bellator titles in order to undergo knee surgery. 'The Typhoon' missed the next 15 months, giving Asakura the chance to win the vacant Rizin bantamweight title.
The Japanese fighters met in a rematch on December 31st, 2020.
Kyoji Horiguchi started the fight with devastating leg kicks, battering his younger opponent's legs until Asakura was noticeably limping. Then, while locked in a clinch, 'The Typhoon' landed a right hand that sent Asakura to the canvas. Horiguchi finished the fight with a flurry of punches on his downed opponent. With the spectacular victory, Horiguchi regained his Rizin title, and earned the 29th win of his storied career.
Watch Kyoji Horiguchi avenge his defeat in the video below:
