Athletes
Kai Asakura | Fighting For All Japan
Incoming Flyweight Title Challenger Discusses Motivations Ahead of UFC 310 Clash With Alexandre Pantoja
When Kai Asakura steps into the Octagon on December 7 at UFC 310 to challenge Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight title, he will become the seventh fighter from Japan to challenge for UFC gold.
Thus far, competitors from the nation with unspeakably deep roots in martial arts and the formative development of the sport have been unsuccessful when it comes to reaching the top of any division in the biggest promotion in mixed martial arts.
Asakura is aiming to change all that, amongst other things.
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“Until now, there have been many fighters In the UFC from Japan who have fought and tried to win a title, and none of them have been successful,” began Asakura in advance of his headlining clash with Pantoja next weekend at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “I feel like there is an impression amongst fight fans that Japanese fighters aren’t that strong, so my goal is to go there and prove that the Japanese fighters are amongst the best fighters in the world.
“I want to bring back MMA’s popularity in Japan, and provide a place where my friends, teammates, and other fighters are able to earn a living in Japan,” he added, delving deeper into the ambitions that fuel him as he readies to make the walk to the Octagon for the first time. “I feel like someone has to bring the MMA scene back to Japan, and I’m very proud that I’m part of the Japanese generation that will bring MMA popularity back to Japan.”
Kai Asakura Previews UFC 310 Debut Against Pantoja: 'I'll Win By KO'
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Kai Asakura Previews UFC 310 Debut Against Pantoja: 'I'll Win By KO'
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Though next Saturday’s championship main event is Asakura’s first foray into the UFC Octagon, anyone that has paid attention to his career prior to signing with the MMA leader understands that the 31-year-old challenger is one of the absolutely best fighters in the world.
While he made his pro debut in 2012, roughly a month before his 21st birthday, Asakura has been fighting consistently since 2015, posting an 8-1 mark including a win over future UFC competitor Alatengheili before signing with Rizin Fighting Federation and debuting with the Japanese promotion at the end of 2017.
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After winning his debut by technical knockout, he bested Manel Kape on the scorecards in his sophomore appearance under the Rizin banner, following it up with victories over future Road to UFC fan favorite Topnoi Kiwram and Jae-Hoon Moon before truly announcing himself as a force on the international scene in the summer of 2019 with a 68-second knockout win over Kyoji Horiguchi.
The American Top Team representative, who is the last Japanese fighter to challenge for UFC gold, had won 13 consecutive fights overall, including each of his final three appearances inside the Octagon. He signed with Rizin, won the company’s 2017 Bantamweight World Grand Prix, and then claimed both the Rizin and Bellator bantamweight titles with matching wins over Darrion Caldwell.
“Every single person thought Horiguchi would win,” Asakura said with a smile when asked about the career-changing victory.
“The reason my fight with Horiguchi got put together is very similar to the reason why my fight with Pantoja has been put together: I was on a four-fight win streak, Horiguchi had defeated all of the top fighters in Rizin, and there was no one left for him to fight, so I was a new face brought in to fight the champion; very similar to the circumstances we have for this fight.”
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Asakura earned an emphatic victory, and has designs on doing the same thing against Pantoja to wrap up the final pay-per-view of 2024, even if there are some that question how the promotional newcomer can walk straight into a championship opportunity in his first fight under the UFC banner.
“I’m gonna go in there and display what I can do, and I want them to have those same claims after the fight is over,” he said with a grin when asked about those that question his being thrust into a championship opportunity straight away.
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“My goal is to become the UFC champion, so when I was offered the chance to fight Pantoja, it was the first step to get to my goal, so there was no reason to refuse the fight. On top of that, I believe in myself, I believe I can win this fight, so there was no reason to hesitate.
“With regards to this fight — the chance and the opportunity — I want to say ‘thank you’ to the UFC and their fans for giving me that opportunity. At the same time, I think some of this is the responsibility of my Japanese fan base, and so thanks to their support and people recognizing my fighting skill, I get the opportunity for this to happen, and I’m grateful for that.”
His want to deliver a dynamic performance and thrilling finish in his debut isn’t just the typical fighter-speak, where every athlete, regardless of their skill set and resume, declares their intention to knock out their opponent in the opening round.
Asakura has earned 16 of his 21 career wins (against four losses) by stoppage, with 13 of those finished coming due to strikes, and it’s the diverse weaponry and legitimate one-shot power he brings to the table that makes him a fascinating addition to the 125-pound weight class.
And a serious threat to claim the flyweight title at UFC 310.
“Pantoja is great at everything, but he’s not special at anything; he doesn’t have a unique skill in one area that makes him better than anyone else,” said Asakura, offering his assessment of the Brazilian titleholder, who successfully defended his title for a second time earlier this year with a unanimous decision win over Australian Steve Erceg. “What makes him better than anyone else is his heart — he’s got great heart, and that’s what makes him a great champion.
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“But I don’t see him representing any problems for me anywhere. He’s someone I don’t think I’ll have any problem dealing with.
“The advantage I hold over Pantoja is that I have one-shot knockout power, so it only takes one shot,” he added. “And I’m expecting this fight to be over with one shot.”
Smiling, Asakura added, "I know in the history of the UFC, there have been many famous knockout scenes, but I’m hoping that at UFC 310, I can add my finish to those highlight reels.”
If that happens, the dynamic newcomer will not only achieve his goal and etch his name in the history books as the first Japanese fighter to win UFC gold, but he’ll go a long way towards making one of his larger, long-term dreams into a reality as well.
“I believe that mixed martial arts invokes a lot of different kinds of emotions in people, but for me, what I’m hoping to do is inspire the next generation of Japanese athletes to become world champions and follow in my footsteps; to be great on an international level.”
Don't miss a moment of UFC 310: Pantoja vs Asakura, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 7, 2024. Prelims start at 8pm ET/5am PT, while the main card kicks off live on PPV at 10pm ET/7pm PT.
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