Japan’s Kai Asakura started his career in street fighting and never expected himself to go pro. Instead, he was thrust forward by those around him who recognized his innate talent. Toyohashi streets, The Outsider, Rizin, and the UFC have all felt the power of Asakura. This is his story from the streets to the UFC.
Kai Asakura
Raised alongside his older brother Mikuru, the two were no strangers to conflict. Their mother attempted to enroll them in boxing but it just didn’t stick. Kai Asakura recalled his reputation in an interview:
“From elementary school, we were constantly having bloody fights with each other. We were having high-level fights all the time.”
“Every time I went to local festivals, I would get challenged to fights. Although I was small in stature, I never backed down because I had guts. Once, when I heard that my friends were being beaten up, I rushed alone to help them in about 7 minutes. Looking back, it’s embarrassing, but at that time as a first-year high school student, I thought delinquents who were strong in fights were cool (laughs).”
Fighting His Brother
Mikuru, a local legend in street fighting and spent time in a juvenile detention center. Kai continued:
“The way I started martial arts is crazy. My brother was fighting on the streets every day, and no one could beat him. One night, he called me out to the street. Suddenly, he handed me boxing gloves and started hitting me with the intention of killing me. But I was able to dodge all of his attacks. This was my first real fight in my life. That’s when I realized I had real potential as a fighter.”
Kai Asakura, who had always been a quick learner, faced off against Mikuru in a no-holds-barred street fight. Despite his brother’s superior experience, Kai’s agility and speed shocked him. That fight was the moment Mikuru realized that his younger brother was a force to be reckoned with.
His next move was a visit to the Zendokai dojo. Within months, he was already winning tournaments, quickly gaining recognition in Japan’s MMA scene. But even then, Kai Asakura knew the journey was far from over. He needed to commit so he quit his job and dedicated himself to training martial arts.
“In my that environment where I can only train 2 hours a day, I can’t beat truly strong opponents. I don’t want to have regrets by not doing what I want to do. If I’m going to do martial arts, I have to win. We only have one life, so I’ve made up my mind!”
The Outsider
Kai Asakura’s journey next took him to THE OUTSIDER, an organization known for showcasing fighters who came from a delinquent background. With quick wins, his reputation grew even more.
In 2019, Jordan Breen explained the aim of THE OUTSIDER:
“Maeda’s goal with The Outsider was, as the promotional name suggests, to take marginalized amateur fighters, people at the fringes of society – often miscreants and outright gangsters – and give them a legitimate venue to fight. It seemed like a crazy idea, though Maeda’s entire professional livelihood has hinged on having outside the box ideas that others thought foolish. In literally the very first fight in Outsider history, in March 2008, unassuming kindergarten teacher Tsubasa Akiyama choked out local gangster Takahiro Kuroishi in 84 seconds. This instantly led to Kuroishi’s gangster comrades rushing the ring and attempting to instigate a brawl. The die had been cast.
“Over the next two years, the brothers cut their teeth there before making the jump to being full-time pros, where they’ve steadily improved ever since. They’ve shed their gaudy yakuza-ikemen haircuts and jewelry they sported in their tenure with the promotion and, by and large, harnessed their wild aggression into becoming sturdy, explosive sprawl and brawlers.”
MMA
Kai Asakura was later signed by RIZIN and then his story became much more widely recognized. Kai snapped a fighter’s jaw with a punch and knocked out champion Kyoji Horiguchi, among many other incredible wins. After clearing out the division he walked into a UFC title shot in his debut match. This weekend, Kai Asakura will look to take the UFC flyweight world championship in a five-round war against Brazil’s Alexandre Pantoja.
The reason Kai Asakura’s story resonates so much with fans is because he is a call back to a former era. He is not a fighter who spent decades in the gym, kicking pads since he could walk. Instead, he barely tried in school and didn’t even want to be a fighter. He brawled on the streets and carved out his natural talent.
Now he is at the pinnacle of MMA. From battling his brother Mikuru in the streets to becoming a global MMA star, Kai has shown what it means to rise above challenges. By turning a tough upbringing into a disciplined career, he’s inspired fans everywhere. Now, as he prepares for a UFC title fight, Kai Asakura proves that greatness can come from the most unexpected places.
