“Gooch” is back.
During the UFC Vegas 112 broadcast last weekend, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) officials announced that No. 8-ranked Flyweight Kyoji Horiguchi will face No. 5-ranked Amir Albazi in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 113, scheduled for Sat., Feb. 7, 2026, inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Horiguchi (35-5) returned to the Octagon last month after nearly a decade away from the promotion and made an immediate statement. The Japanese standout dominated Tagir Ulanbekov at UFC Qatar, becoming the first fighter to finish the notoriously durable Russian (watch highlights).
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Following the victory, Horiguchi called for a Flyweight title shot against teammate Alexandre Pantoja — a bout the then-champion appeared willing to accept. However, with the Flyweight title picture currently in flux, those plans were put on hold, opening the door for Horiguchi to test himself against the division’s elite.
Now, he’ll get his opportunity against a Top 5 contender. Horiguchi enters the matchup riding a six-fight win streak, with three of those victories coming by way of finish.
Albazi (17-2) hasn’t competed since 2024, sitting out all of 2025 after withdrawing from a scheduled bout against Tatsuro Taira just days before their planned August showdown.
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The 31-year-old endured a grueling 16-month layoff between 2023 and 2024, battling injuries that included heart surgery and another injury that could have left him paralyzed if untreated. Albazi’s last fight saw his six-fight win streak snapped by former champion, Brandon Moreno, at UFC Edmonton in 2024, marking his first UFC loss.
Here is what UFC Vegas 113 looks like so far:
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Mario Bautista vs. Vinicius Oliveira
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Amir Albazi vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
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Farid Basharat vs. Jean Matsumoto
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Rizvan Kuniev vs. Ryan Spann
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Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
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Uran Satybaldiev vs. Julius Walker
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Wang Cong vs. Eduarda Moura
To checkout UFC’s upcoming schedule of events click here.
