Manel Kape was coming off second-best in the early rounds against Kyoji Horiguchi tonight at UFC Fight Night 279, but that all changed mid-way through the third round as he rocked his rival and then sealed the TKO finish with ground-and-pound.

Round One

The flyweight main event is underway in Las Vegas!

Inside leg kick from Horiguchi. Now a solid body kick from him that’s almost caught by Kape.

Low kick for Kape. He lands it again. Body kick from Horiguchi almost caught again.

Hard exchange of punches and Kape gets the better of that, and then lands again.

Body kick for Kape. Solid inside leg kick for Horiguchi. Jab for Kape and Horiguchi clinches looking for a takedown that doesn’t materialize.

Kape loads up on a punch but misses. Hard body kick for Horiguchi.

Horiguchi times a single-leg takedown attempt nicely and lands it. Horiguchi securing top position and Kape looking for a few elbows off his back.

Round Two

Kick from Horiguchi. Low kick from Kape. Horiguchi with a left hand that might have troubled Kape for a moment.

Kape with a low kick and Horiguchi disrupts his balance and takes him down.

Horiguchi in half-guard away from the cage with over three minutes to work. A couple of hammerfists from him. Now a punch. Kape gets him to his full guard.

Short elbow strikes from Kape off his back. He continues with that into the final minute of the round. Horiguchi postures up for an elbow strike of his own now.

Horiguchi passes to half-guard. A few punches land to the head. He lands another couple, stands, and then drops back down again as the round comes to a close.

Round Three

Horiguchi with a quick step-in punch. Kape with a quick flurry. Horiguchi with a head kick attempt.

Glancing punch from Horiguchi. Kape with a punch. Horiguchi pressing forward behind solid punches.

Horiguchi stalking Kape now. Body punch from Kape. One-two for Horiguchi. Now an inside leg kick from him.

Right hand from Horiguchi. Inside leg kick from Kape, but it’s checked and he falls for a brief moment after that.

Suddenly a right hook counter from Kape has Horiguchi wobbled and he goes to the mat on all fours. Kape is behind him now and throwing punches looking for the finish.

His uppercuts are getting through and one lands that slumps Horiguchi and forces a TKO stoppage at 2.42mins of the third round!