Neil Seery

Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Neil Seery

Round 1
Horiguchi flashes a body kick at the onset and then tags Seery with a hard right hand. The next punch from Horiguchi sends Seery slumping to the mat, but the Irishman recovers quickly and tangles up as Horiguchi pounces. One minute into the round, Seery works back to his feet, but 10 seconds later, Horiguchi has dumped him to the canvas again. Horiguchi stands and stacks up Seery to escape an armbar attempt, but he allows “2 Tap” to climb back to his feet again in the process. Horiguchi lands another cracking right hand on the incoming Seery, then plunges a straight left down the center and puts Seery on his seat again. Seery is getting lit up on the feet and may be dropping to guard intentionally, as he’s quickly able to stand when Horiguchi gives him the space. Inside the two-minute mark, Horiguchi lands a takedown and passes to side control on Seery’s right, looking for full mount or a mounted crucifix. Seery squirms underneath and escapes to his feet once more, only to be met with more Horiguchi punches and a hard kick to the gut.

Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Horiguchi
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Horiguchi
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Horiguchi

Round 2
Horiguchi closes the distance in a hurry, swinging heavy punches in Seery’s direction before wrapping up the veteran on the fence. He trips Seery to the ground but can’t do much with the position before abandoning it, and now the flyweights return to striking. Seery ties up and tries a head-and-arm throw, but he’s stuffed by Horiguchi and has to defend a takedown from the rear waistlock position. The fighters are back to swinging punches once again as they hit the midway point of the round and the fight. Horiguchi scores with a few hard kicks to the inside of southpaw Seery’s lead leg. Now it’s a kick to the body from Horiguchi, a right hand on the ribs and a two-piece combo to Seery’s face. Seery is hanging tough but it’s Horiguchi’s speed and power winning the day so far. Inside 30 seconds, Horiguchi changes levels and plows Seery to the ground near the fence, and that’s where the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Horiguchi
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Horiguchi
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Horiguchi

Round 3
Horiguchi sticks to the outside for the first minute and then comes in to clinch with Seery on the fence. A takedown goes for the Krazy Bee fighter, but again Seery is able to maneuever his way back to his feet. Seery may have done better to stay on the mat, as Horiguchi begins scoring with hard right hands to the body and head once the striking exchanges resume. At the halfway mark, Seery shoots for Horiguchi’s legs at the fence, but Horiguchi turns him around. It’s a late takedown for Horiguchi with under 90 seconds left to fight. Seery works his way back up the fence and takes a couple knees to the gut before he’s able to circle away. Seery tries to barge inside for a clinch or trip takedown, but he’s reversed and placed on his back by Horiguchi one final time.

Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Horiguchi (30-27 Horiguchi)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Horiguchi (30-27 Horiguchi)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Horiguchi (30-27 Horiguchi)

The Official Result
Kyoji Horiguchi def. Neil Seery via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00