Kyoji Horiguchi Loses Bellator Bantamweight Championship Due To Injury

The effect of Kyoji Horiguchi’s torn ACL and damaged meniscus continued this week, as he has vacated his Bellator Bantamweight Championship.

Bellator president Scott Coker put out a statement on Wednesday regarding the announcement, saying “he has elected to vacate his title & allow the division to move forward in his absence.”

Earlier this month, Horiguchi’s New Year’s Eve fight against Kai Asakura was cancelled due to his injury. Asakura’s replacement opponent has yet to be announced.

Horiguchi’s 13-fight winning streak was broken in August, when he lost in just over a minute to Kai Asakura at RIZIN 19.

He had a dominant 12 months prior to the loss. On 2018 New Year’s Eve, Horiguchi submitted Darrion Caldwell in the third round at RIZIN 14 to win the promotion’s Bantamweight Championship.

After an easy win against Ben Nguyen in April, Horiguchi went on to defeat Caldwell in a rematch at Bellator 222, taking Caldwell’s Bellator Bantamweight Championship.