Kai Asakura is doing everything he can in preparation for his debut UFC title fight against flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja later this evening (Sat., Dec. 7, 2024) at UFC 310 LIVE on ESPN+ pay-per-view (PPV) from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and that includes packing on 11 pounds just one hour after Friday’s official weigh ins (replay HERE).
Fight fans aren’t sure what to expect from Asakura as the former RIZIN bantamweight champion gears up for his official UFC debut. In addition to the mystery surrounding his upcoming performance against Pantoja atop UFC’s final PPV event of the year, MMA enthusiasts were worried for Asakura in advance to Friday’s weigh ins.
Asakura, 31, has not competed at flyweight since 2017. He’s had incredible success under the RIZIN banner as a member of the promotion’s bantamweight division, but cutting an extra 10 pounds for a debut title fight under the bright lights of the Octagon is a completely different animal. So it was all hands on deck this week for Team Asakura to ensure their fighter didn’t miss weight.
Luckily, the former RIZIN champion passed with flying colors, even weighing in one-half pound under the required 125-pound benchmark. It was a good sign for the veteran fighter as he tries to impress UFC fans with a title victory on Saturday night.
What’s even more impressive is the fact that Asakura packed on 11 pounds in just one hour following his successful weigh in. We’ve seen fighters gain some serious weight in between weigh ins and fight night, but 11 pounds in 60 minutes is pretty insane. Just another reason why Asakura’s scrap with Pantoja at UFC 310 is so darn interesting.
Check out the challenger’s weight gain below:
Kai Asakura says he gained 11 pounds in ONE HOUR after his official weigh in ahead of his UFC debut #UFC310
(via @kai_1031_) pic.twitter.com/gvc0cqroRa
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 7, 2024
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 310 fight card right RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN2/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the UFC 310 PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 310: “Pantoja vs. Asakura” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. For the updated and finalized UFC 310 fight card and PPV lineup click here.