After kicking off 2026 with a pair of numbered events on opposite sides of the world, the UFC returned to the more familiar surroundings of the newly named Meta Apex in Las Vegas for a fight card topped by two matchups that could have title implications in the bantamweight and flyweight divisions.
Mario Bautista (17-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) returned to the win column in the main event, submitting Vinicius Oliveira (23-4 MMA, 4-1 UFC) to defend his top-10 ranking. Meanwhile, former flyweight title challenger Kyoji Horiguchi (36-5 MMA, 9-1 UFC) moved to 2-0 since returning to the UFC, defeating Amir Albazi (17-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in the co-main event to strengthen his case for another title shot at 125 pounds.
Let’s take a look at what might be next for the two biggest winners from UFC Vegas 113.
Mario Bautista
After suffering his first defeat in four-and-a-half years last time out against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 321 in October, Bautista bounced back in style on Saturday night, delivering a career-best performance in the first main event of his UFC career.
Just as he predicted during a recent appearance on FIGHT WEEK FOCUS, the Glendale native proved he is levels above “Lok Dog,” refusing to be intimidated by the Brazilian. Bautista wore his opponent down and showcased sharp grappling skills en route to a second-round submission victory, earning an additional $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus in the process.
He called for a rematch with Cory Sandhagen during his post-fight interview, having been submitted by “Sandman” in his Octagon debut back in 2019. While that would certainly make for an intriguing matchup, it’s likely Sandhagen will be paired with Sean O’Malley next, leaving Bautista in need of a dance partner.
A more realistic next test could come in the form of Aiemann Zahabi (14-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC), who sits three places above Bautista at No. 6. Riding a seven-fight winning streak, the Canadian (like Bautista) has yet to fully capture the fanbase’s attention, and a matchup between the two could determine who takes the next step toward challenging the elite at 135 pounds.
Kyoji Horiguchi
After delivering another standout performance by outpointing Amir Albazi over fifteen minutes in Saturday’s co-main event, Kyoji Horiguchi reaffirmed his status as a legitimate title contender in the UFC flyweight division.
“Karate Kid” is now 9-1 in his UFC career despite spending much of the past decade competing in other organizations, and he has suffered just one loss at 125 pounds - the legendary Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson at UFC 186 more than a decade ago.
With no news yet regarding a return date for recently dethroned champion Alexandre Pantoja, the likely next move for his successor, Joshua Van, is a title defense against Manel Kape. That scenario leaves Pantoja (30-6 MMA, 14-4 UFC) and Tatsuro Taira (18-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) as potential opponents for Horiguchi. However, given that he and “The Cannibal” have been friends and training partners for many years, it’s safe to assume they would not face each other without a world title at stake.
With rumors swirling about a potential UFC return to Japan in 2026, could Horiguchi vs. Taira headline the event?
