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Tuesday, Apr 21, 2015

UFC 186: Kyoji Horiguchi Hopes to “Validate Karate as The Most Powerful Martial Art”

Horiguchi (photo via UFC.com)

By FCF Staff

Although Kyoji Horiguchi is a massive underdog heading into his title fight this Saturday with UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson, there’s no question that the Japanese fighter has continued to impress since he arrived in the organization.

Horiguchi made his way to the UFC in 2013, and since then the 24 year-old has scored wins over Dustin Pague, Darrell Montague, Jon delos Reyes and most recently Louis Gaudinot. The fighter’s path to a world championship fight of this magnitude, however, began when Horiguchi started learning Karate as a child. When you watch Horiguchi fight, the martial art’s influence is immediately evident in the talented striker’s game, and the flyweight is extremely proud of that fact.

Case in point, while speaking to UFC.com recently, Horiguchi relayed the following:

“I started karate when I was five years old,” he said. “Whatever I do in the Octagon is coming from karate, such as technique and foot movement. I would like to validate karate as the most powerful martial art to the fans. I am using my karate technique in MMA ‘as is’ since I believe in my karate.”

Horiguchi (15-1) will meet Johnson (21-2-1) at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, on April 25th.

posted by FCF Staff @ 10:52 am
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