What’s next for Kyoji Horiguchi after beating Amir Albazi at UFC Vegas 113? The Japanese star believes he’s ready to fight for the flyweight championship, which is definitely an option. But whatever his next move ends up being, Dana White would miss out big time if ‘The Karate Kid’s next fight isn’t in Japan.

Remember the last time the UFC went to Japan? It’s been a while, back in 2017, when Ovince Saint Preux and Yushin Okami’s 205 lbs bout rocked the Saitama Super Arena. Sadly, it’s been nine years since that fight, and Dana White still hasn’t taken the promotion back to the Land of the Rising Sun. Haven’t they had the opportunity? If not, the time feels right now, as the UFC CEO really shouldn’t fumble this opportunity.

Dana White should be excited for UFC Japan 

Right now, the UFC has completely transitioned into a global brand, with only one American champion on the roster in Kayla Harrison. Other than that, every title holder is non-American. Still, the promotion understandably holds the majority of its events in the United States. If not there, they usually rotate through North America, South America, England, and Australia, with routine visits to the Middle East.

Now, while the MMA craze is definitely booming in those regions, Dana White and the top UFC brass have remained hesitant to explore other markets. For example, Ilia Topuria, one of the premier champions in the UFC, pushed for a Spain event for a long time. Although the UFC boss was initially positive about the idea, he later shut it down. The reason? He didn’t want the fights to take place in a stadium and couldn’t find a suitable arena.

What about UFC Africa then? White had a similar reaction there as well, citing concerns about weather affecting fighter performance in an open stadium, which is a valid point. However, while those issues exist in parts of Europe and Africa, Japan is a different case altogether.

After almost a decade away from the first event, White has shown interest in returning to Japanese soil. Why? It’s definitely because the UFC is finding real success in Asian markets, with UFC Shanghai being the most recent example. So why not recreate that same magic in Japan? It makes sense, right? And while that’s reason enough, the rumored fights for such an event could make the visit even more worthwhile.

Clashing inside a packed Saitama Super Arena, Joshua Van vs Tatsuro Taira would instantly grab fans’ attention with the flyweight title on the line. However, the night could turn electric if Kyoji Horiguchi ends up facing one of his old Rizin rivals, Kai Asakura or Manel Kape, at the event. But would the Portuguese fight one more time before challenging the champ? That’s where things get a little tricky.

If that doesn’t excite Dana White enough to bring the UFC back to Japan while the country’s representation is this hot, it’s hard to know what will. Still, as exciting as this idea sounds, there are clearly reasons why the UFC boss hasn’t pulled the trigger just yet. What’s stopping him?

UFC’s event in Japan: A dream or dilemma? 

Now, when we’re talking about moving to Japan, the assumption is that the UFC would bring a numbered card there, right? If that’s the case, there are definitely some challenges. Putting on a spectacle like that is a massive undertaking for the company, with plenty of moving parts to ensure fans get the full experience. And if they do bring a marquee card, getting the timing right becomes a real problem.

Why so? Because if the UFC decides to air the event during the evening in America, live fans in Japan would have to show up at the arena in the morning. Japanese fans absolutely enjoy a good scrap, but it’s fair to wonder whether most of them want to watch fighters spilling blood and knocking each other out first thing in the day. This becomes even clearer when you look at the live attendance from the UFC’s last event in Japan.

For Ovince Saint Preux vs. Yushin Okami, which aired in the United States around 9:00 PM Eastern time, Japanese fans attended the event at roughly 11:00 AM in broad daylight. The attendance? Just 8,571 at the Saitama Super Arena, a venue that can comfortably hold over 30,000 fans.

So, would Dana White’s dilemma force him to trade viewership for the live experience, that too under the Paramount+ CBS era? That’s definitely a tough ask, since views now equal money after the PPV-heavy days are over. But if the UFC truly needs a solution to this problem, there is one that could actually satisfy both the promotion and the Japanese audience.

To find common ground, White could stage a Fight Night event in Japan, with Kyoji Horiguchi and Tatsuro Taira headlining at the Saitama Super Arena. And the marquee numbered spectacle? That could go to Texas, with Joshua Van and Manel Kape settling their grudge in front of the champ’s home crowd.

Is it the genius plan White was looking for? Let us know in the comments section below.