Kyoji Horiguchi: Hiromasa Ougikubo improved, but I should be able to 'dominate him in every aspect'

Kyoji Horiguchi thinks he’ll have the edge over Hiromasa Ougikubo everywhere in their trilogy bout.

Horiguchi (30-5) faces Ougikubo (25–6–2) on Saturday’s Rizin 40 card which takes place at Saitama Super Arena just outside Tokyo. The main card will air in the U.S. on Showtime via tape-delay and the fights will take place in Rizin’s ring under the promotion’s ruleset.

Horiguchi already holds two wins over Ougikubo – once by submission to capture the Shooto bantamweight title in 2013, then a second time by unanimous decision at Rizin 11 in 2018, and the Japanese star doesn’t see their trilogy going any differently.

“I think he’s improved his skills since our last fight,” Horiguchi said through an interpreter during the Rizin 40 pre-fight press conference. “But I should be able to control him and dominate him in every aspect.”

He continued, “I just need to control the match and if I do, then I should be able to finish the match. And my condition, I feel very great.”

Horiguchi, a former UFC flyweight title challenger, said he plans on speaking to Bellator president Scott Coker after the fight to ask for the addition of the 125-pound division to the promotion. Horiguchi will compete at flyweight on Saturday for the first time since parting ways with the UFC in 2016.