UFC Vegas 119 LIVE: Start time, full card and how to watch Manel Kape vs Kyoji Horiguchi

Jun 17, 2026 - 16:15

After a monumental show at the White House, the UFC’s next event takes place at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.

The promotion’s latest Fight Night card sees a rematch almost nine years in the making as flyweight contenders Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi battle it out to see who will be next in line to challenge champion Joshua Van.

Kyoji Horiguchi of Japan secures a rear choke submission against Tagir Ulanbekov of Russia in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at ABHA Arena on November 22, 2025 in Doha, Qatar — Horiguchi fought Demetrious Johnson for the flyweight title in 2015, leaving the UFC a year later – but he has since returned and is on the path back to a title shot

Manel Kape of Angola punches Asu Almabayev of Kazakstan in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on March 01, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. — Kape has lost just once in his last eight fights, scoring back-to-back knockouts in his previous two bouts

Horiguchi, a Japanese MMA legend who defeated Kape in 2017 outside the UFC, returned to Dana White‘s promotion in November 2025 and won both of his bouts to get straight back into title conversations at 125lbs.

The former RIZIN flyweight and bantamweight champion and king of Bellator’s 135lbs division holds a remarkable 36-5 (1 NC) professional record, having defeated Iraqi fighter Amir Albazi in his last fight.

Kape, meanwhile, has been a staple of the UFC’s flyweight division since bouncing back from consecutive defeats following an unsuccessful debut in 2021.

‘Starboy’ has since won seven of his eight UFC bouts, suffering his sole defeat in July 2024 to Muhammad Mokaev, who is widely regarded as one of the best flyweights in the world.

The winner of Kape vs Horiguchi will be in pole position to fight for the title next against Van, who is expected to rematch former dominant champion Alexandre Pantoja first and foremost.

UFC Vegas 119: Date and start time

UFC Vegas 119, also known as UFC Fight Night 279, takes place on Saturday, June 20, at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.

Coverage of the preliminary action begins at 10pm GMT (5pm ET, 2pm PT), with a featherweight contest between UFC debutants Shane Collins and Otari Tanzilovi kicking things off.

The main card is then scheduled to get underway from 1am GMT on Sunday, June 21 (8pm ET, 5pm PT Saturday).

Kape and Horiguchi are expected to make their walks to the Octagon at roughly 3am GMT (10pm ET, 7pm PT).

Kyoji Horiguchi of Japan kicks Amir Albazi of Iraq in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Meta APEX on February 07, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada — Horiguchi, 35, is looking to score his 37th win as a professional in Sin City this weekend

Manel Kape of Angola celebrates after his victory over Felipe dos Santos of Brazil in a flyweight fight during the UFC 293 event at Qudos Bank Arena on September 10, 2023 in Sydney, Australia — Kape believes he can finish Horiguchi, however and whenever he wants to, in the main event clash

UFC Vegas 119: Where to watch

For fans in the UK and Ireland, the prelims will be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass before coverage moves over to TNT Sports and HBO Max for the five-fight main card.

Those in America, Australia and Latin America (including Brazil) can watch the entire event live on Paramount+.

talkSPORT.com will also be across all of the latest news and reaction from UFC Vegas 119.

UFC Vegas 119: Fight card

Subject to change

Main card

MAIN EVENT: Manel Kape vs Kyoji Horiguchi – Flyweight
Co-main: Ion Cutelaba vs Navajo Sterling – Light Heavyweight
Vinicius Oliveira vs Andre Fili – Featherweight
Hyder Amil vs Christian Rodriguez – Featherweight
Melsik Baghdasaryan vs Murtazali Magomedov – Featherweight

Prelims

Andre Lima vs Kevin Borjas – Flyweight
Bia Mesquita vs Melissa Mullins – Women’s Bantamweight
Allan Nascimento vs Mitch Raposo – Flyweight
Gaston Bolanos vs Michael Aswell Jr – Featherweight
Karol Rose vs Luana Santos – Women’s Bantamweight
Leon Shahbazyan vs Levan Chokheli – Welterweight
Shane Collins vs Otari Tanzilovi – Featherweight

Kyoji Horiguchi of Japan is interviewed after defeating Amir Albazi of Iraq in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Meta APEX on February 07, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada — Horiguchi has lost just once in the UFC to the greatest to ever do it in Demetrious Johnson

UFC Vegas 119: What has been said?

Speaking to Home Of Fight, Kape predicted another statement knockout while praising his new team, having made a full move to Randy Couture’s Xtreme Couture in the last year.

“I have so many options to finish this fight,” the 32-year-old Angolan-Portuguese fighter said.

“I’m just gonna be there and choose what option I have to finish them.

“Nine years ago [when I fought Kape], I didn’t have the team to do all of the homework I can right now, and right now I have all the things that are working, and that makes sense.

“[An improved team] has opened my eyes, opened my game, and we see a lot of mistakes and gaps that we can explore what we couldn’t before.

“I didn’t have someone to help me [find those gaps] a long time ago, and even then, it was the toughest fight he’s had, my fight against him nine years ago.

“We’re different fighters now. I’m an A, and he’s a B.”