5 possible opponents for Kyoji Horiguchi after his recent Bellator loss

Kyoji Horiguchi’s hopes of winning the Bellator bantamweight Grand Prix ended as he lost a unanimous decision to Patchy Mix. The loss extends his losing streak to two-straight, which is the first time he’s experienced that in his career.

Despite the elimination, Horiguchi is still the reigning RIZIN bantamweight champion. As such, he’ll likely return to Japan and defend the title at some point. However, his aspirations of becoming a two-promotion champion for the second time shouldn't be ruled out.

Horiguchi could still get back into title contention by defeating other top-ranked opponents. His performance against the current champion Sergio Pettis could earn him a rematch at some point should he remain champion.

‘The Typhoon’ is in a bit of a predicament. He could be better suited and have more success if he returns to flyweight. Since the promotion doesn’t have a 125lbs division, he could decide to wait for the right matchup to present itself.

This list will look at five opponents for Kyoji Horiguchi after his recent Bellator loss.

---

#5. Loser of Leandro Higo/Danny Sabatello - Bellator Grand Prix quarterfinal

Bellator could match up Horiguchi with a lower-ranked opponent to turn things around. Based on their upcoming schedule, it'd make sense if he fought the loser of Leandro Higo vs. Danny Sabatello.

Both Higo and Sabatello are ranked lower than the RIZIN bantamweight champion. With that in mind, the timing for a potential bout could work out if ‘The Typhoon’ takes time off. The Grand Prix bout takes place on June 24, so depending on the outcome, September could be a realistic timeframe.

‘The Italian Gangster’ looked impressive in his wildcard bout against Jornel Lugo. It was a dominant performance and he will look to continue that against Higo. He also gained a following due to his entertaining expletive-filled post-fight interview. It will be his toughest test to date and grappling will likely be the deciding factor.

#4. Loser of Magomed Magomedov/Enrique Barzola - Bellator Grand Prix quarterfinal

Magomed Magomedov and Enrique Barzola will also compete in their Grand Prix matchup at Bellator 282 on June 24. Barzola earned his opportunity to compete in the Grand Prix after a unanimous decision win over Nikita Mikhailov.

If Magomedov loses the bout, a bout with Horiguchi would be much more logical. He is coming into the Grand Prix following a loss to current interim bantamweight champion Raufeon Stots. It was a back-and-forth grappling battle, but ‘Supa’ earned the unanimous decision.

With that in mind, ‘Tiger’ vs. ‘The Typhoon’ would see two top-ranked bantamweights battling in hopes of snapping a two-fight losing streak. They are both ranked in the top five. As such, a winner could maintain their position in the rankings while the Grand Prix is ongoing.

Despite being the No.10-ranked bantamweight, ‘El Fuerte’ shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as an underdog. The UFC alum is an experienced fighter and is unbeaten in his last three bouts.

---

#3. No.8-ranked Bellator bantamweight Josh Hill

No.8-ranked Bellator bantamweight Josh Hill would be a suitable opponent for Horiguchi if he wanted a quick turnaround. The Canadian was originally scheduled to compete in a Grand Prix qualifier, but was forced to withdraw due to COVID-19.

‘Gentleman’ is coming off an impressive knockout win over Jared Scoggins. He has gone 3-1 since joining the promotion, with his only loss coming against Stots. His withdrawal from the Grand Prix was unfortunate because of how great he looked in his most recent win.

Since Hill isn’t currently linked to an upcoming event, a bout with No.5-ranked Horiguchi could be realistic for the summer. ‘The Typhoon’ would be able to get back in the cage and put his Grand Prix loss behind him. Meanwhile, Hill could remain active against a top bantamweight.

#2. No.7-Ranked Bellator bantamweight James Gallagher

No.7-ranked Bellator bantamweight James Gallagher could be a realistic opponent if Kyoji Horiguchi decides to take time off. Gallagher is recovering from an injury which forced him to withdraw from the Grand Prix.

‘The Strabanimal’ has become a homegrown star for the promotion. He trains at SBG in Ireland, which is the same gym as Conor McGregor. The Irishman is a very confident fighter and doesn’t get discouraged after a loss. He has shown a lot of potential and proved he can hold his own with the top fighters in the division.

Like ‘The Typhoon', Gallagher is coming off a loss to Patchy Mix. The bout took place this past November in Dublin, Ireland. The crowd was fully behind their countryman, but he was submitted in the third round. With the promotion returning to Dublin in September, perhaps that could be another headliner if ‘The Strabanimal’ is cleared by then.

---

#1. Former Bellator bantamweight champion Juan Archuleta

Based on the rankings and accomplishments, Juan Archuleta vs. Kyoji Horiguchi should be the fight to book next. Both fighters are former bantamweight champions and were eliminated in the opening round of the Grand Prix.

‘The Typhoon’ and ‘The Spaniard’ also need a big win as they both have back-to-back losses. It could add motivation as a win would snap their losing skid. The promotion will head into the semifinals of the Grand Prix during the summer months. With that in mind, a bout featuring two former bantamweight champions would add much-needed depth and bolster the card.

Another possibility for the promotion could be booking the bout to headline an event in Japan. Scott Coker has mentioned that he’d like to return to Japan. As such, it would be logical to feature their biggest Japanese star in a significant bout. If the event were to be a cross-promotion with RIZIN, ‘The Typhoon’ could defend his title as well.