Tag: Kai Asakura

Kai Asakura Doesn’t Lose Confidence After UFC 310 Debut Loss: I’ll ‘Definitely’ Become Champion

Kai Asakura didn’t get the fairy tale UFC debut that he was hoping for this past weekend in Las Vegas. The former two-time RIZIN bantamweight champion was expecting to face top opposition right away after signing to the UFC but due to the current state of the flyweight division, he went straight into a title […]

Kai Asakura didn’t get the fairy tale UFC debut that he was hoping for this past weekend in Las Vegas. The former two-time RIZIN bantamweight champion was expecting to face top opposition right away after signing to the UFC but due to the current state of the flyweight division, he went straight into a title shot at the last PPV card of 2024.

Though Asakura was calm and composed throughout fight week and showed why he is such an exciting addition in the main event of UFC 310, facing the champion, Alexandre Pantoja, proved to be a step too far for him right now. The Brazilian secured his third consecutive title defense after taking his challenger’s back and choking him out in the second round.

The Japanese star may have come up short but losing to the champion on his debut is only the start of his career in the UFC. With a top 15 ranking now next to his name, the 31-year old can look to build himself back towards the 125-pound gold.

He’s done this before in RIZIN where despite suffering some substantial defeats, Asakura was able to reclaim the bantamweight title in his final fight before signing to the UFC. The title challenger posted a message on Instagram where he thanked his fans and apologized to them.

Despite this latest setback, he states that he isn’t discouraged from his dreams of becoming the champion one day.

“Thank you for all your support. I’m sorry I couldn’t get back with results. Great champions and I was still weak. I didn’t get it this time though I’ll definitely rise up and become a champion. Always have and will keep doing it until I can. I will come back stronger.”

UFC Rankings Report: Kai Asakura Debuts In Flyweight Top 15 After UFC 310 Loss

As always, the latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the ladder toward contention and others fall away. And in the aftermath of UFC 310, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings. Men’s Pound-For-Pound: Alexandre Pantoja emerged victorious from Saturday’s main event, choking out newcomer Kai Asakura […]

As always, the latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the ladder toward contention and others fall away.

And in the aftermath of UFC 310, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.

Men’s Pound-For-Pound: Alexandre Pantoja emerged victorious from Saturday’s main event, choking out newcomer Kai Asakura to stay flyweight kingpin. As a result, the Brazilian has received a boost up the P4P ladder, now sharing the #9 spot with Leon Edwards. Pantoja’s two-place rise has seen Alexander Volkanovski slip the same distance back to #11.

Women’s Pound-for-Pound: TBC

Women’s Strawweight: TBC

Women’s Flyweight: TBC

Women’s Bantamweight: TBC

Flyweight: While unsuccessful in capturing gold on his debut, Asakura has still joined the ranks of contenders with numbers next to their names at 125 pounds. The Japanese star has arrived at #14, with UFC 310 victor Joshua Van also entering at #15. Those debuts have led to Cody Durden, Van’s defeated opponent, and Matt Schnell exiting the UFC rankings.

Bantamweight: TBC

Featherweight: Movsar Evloev kept his undefeated record intact on the UF 310 preliminary card, getting past former bantamweight kingpin Aljamain Sterling in a competitive grappling affair. The Russian has now climbed one spot to #4 in the division, demoting Yair Rodríguez to #5.

Lightweight: TBC

Welterweight: Shavkat Rakhmonov was among the biggest winners in Las Vegas on Saturday night, as he fought through a torn MCL to outpoint former training partner Ian Garry in the co-main event. The triumph has elevated him above Kamaru Usman to #2 in the UFC rankings ahead of an expected title shot in 2025. The Irishman, meanwhile, has stayed put at #7.

Middleweight: TBC

Light Heavyweight: The resurgence of Dominick Reyes continued at UFC 310, where he dominantly put away fellow former title challenger Anthony Smith by way of TKO. “The Devastator” is now up one position to #11, leaving Azamat Murzakanov a place worse off at #11. “Lionheart,” meanwhile, has continued to slip down the pecking order. He;’s now been passed by Bogdan Guskov (#13) and occupies the #14 spot.

Heavyweight: TBC

You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

UFC Rankings Report: Kai Asakura Debuts In Flyweight Top 15 After UFC 310 Loss

As always, the latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the ladder toward contention and others fall away. And in the aftermath of UFC 310, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings. Men’s Pound-For-Pound: Alexandre Pantoja emerged victorious from Saturday’s main event, choking out newcomer Kai Asakura […]

As always, the latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the ladder toward contention and others fall away.

And in the aftermath of UFC 310, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.

Men’s Pound-For-Pound: Alexandre Pantoja emerged victorious from Saturday’s main event, choking out newcomer Kai Asakura to stay flyweight kingpin. As a result, the Brazilian has received a boost up the P4P ladder, now sharing the #9 spot with Leon Edwards. Pantoja’s two-place rise has seen Alexander Volkanovski slip the same distance back to #11.

Women’s Pound-for-Pound: TBC

Women’s Strawweight: TBC

Women’s Flyweight: TBC

Women’s Bantamweight: TBC

Flyweight: While unsuccessful in capturing gold on his debut, Asakura has still joined the ranks of contenders with numbers next to their names at 125 pounds. The Japanese star has arrived at #14, with UFC 310 victor Joshua Van also entering at #15. Those debuts have led to Cody Durden, Van’s defeated opponent, and Matt Schnell exiting the UFC rankings.

Bantamweight: TBC

Featherweight: Movsar Evloev kept his undefeated record intact on the UF 310 preliminary card, getting past former bantamweight kingpin Aljamain Sterling in a competitive grappling affair. The Russian has now climbed one spot to #4 in the division, demoting Yair Rodríguez to #5.

Lightweight: TBC

Welterweight: Shavkat Rakhmonov was among the biggest winners in Las Vegas on Saturday night, as he fought through a torn MCL to outpoint former training partner Ian Garry in the co-main event. The triumph has elevated him above Kamaru Usman to #2 in the UFC rankings ahead of an expected title shot in 2025. The Irishman, meanwhile, has stayed put at #7.

Middleweight: TBC

Light Heavyweight: The resurgence of Dominick Reyes continued at UFC 310, where he dominantly put away fellow former title challenger Anthony Smith by way of TKO. “The Devastator” is now up one position to #11, leaving Azamat Murzakanov a place worse off at #11. “Lionheart,” meanwhile, has continued to slip down the pecking order. He;’s now been passed by Bogdan Guskov (#13) and occupies the #14 spot.

Heavyweight: TBC

You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

UFC Rankings Report: Kai Asakura Debuts In Flyweight Top 15 After UFC 310 Loss

As always, the latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the ladder toward contention and others fall away. And in the aftermath of UFC 310, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings. Men’s Pound-For-Pound: Alexandre Pantoja emerged victorious from Saturday’s main event, choking out newcomer Kai Asakura […]

As always, the latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the ladder toward contention and others fall away.

And in the aftermath of UFC 310, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.

Men’s Pound-For-Pound: Alexandre Pantoja emerged victorious from Saturday’s main event, choking out newcomer Kai Asakura to stay flyweight kingpin. As a result, the Brazilian has received a boost up the P4P ladder, now sharing the #9 spot with Leon Edwards. Pantoja’s two-place rise has seen Alexander Volkanovski slip the same distance back to #11.

Women’s Pound-for-Pound: TBC

Women’s Strawweight: TBC

Women’s Flyweight: TBC

Women’s Bantamweight: TBC

Flyweight: While unsuccessful in capturing gold on his debut, Asakura has still joined the ranks of contenders with numbers next to their names at 125 pounds. The Japanese star has arrived at #14, with UFC 310 victor Joshua Van also entering at #15. Those debuts have led to Cody Durden, Van’s defeated opponent, and Matt Schnell exiting the UFC rankings.

Bantamweight: TBC

Featherweight: Movsar Evloev kept his undefeated record intact on the UF 310 preliminary card, getting past former bantamweight kingpin Aljamain Sterling in a competitive grappling affair. The Russian has now climbed one spot to #4 in the division, demoting Yair Rodríguez to #5.

Lightweight: TBC

Welterweight: Shavkat Rakhmonov was among the biggest winners in Las Vegas on Saturday night, as he fought through a torn MCL to outpoint former training partner Ian Garry in the co-main event. The triumph has elevated him above Kamaru Usman to #2 in the UFC rankings ahead of an expected title shot in 2025. The Irishman, meanwhile, has stayed put at #7.

Middleweight: TBC

Light Heavyweight: The resurgence of Dominick Reyes continued at UFC 310, where he dominantly put away fellow former title challenger Anthony Smith by way of TKO. “The Devastator” is now up one position to #11, leaving Azamat Murzakanov a place worse off at #11. “Lionheart,” meanwhile, has continued to slip down the pecking order. He;’s now been passed by Bogdan Guskov (#13) and occupies the #14 spot.

Heavyweight: TBC

You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

‘Ok, Demetrious Johnson Next Challenger’ – Fans React As Alexandre Pantoja Sleeps Kai Asakura At UFC 310 With Rear-Naked Choke

Despite the hype Kai Asakura came into the UFC from RIZIN with, Alexandre Pantoja was able to pull off a flawless victory in the main event of UFC 310, winning by submission. The action started hot and heavy, with the reigning flyweight champion absorbing a knee from Asakura and landing a hard right hand on […]

Despite the hype Kai Asakura came into the UFC from RIZIN with, Alexandre Pantoja was able to pull off a flawless victory in the main event of UFC 310, winning by submission.

The action started hot and heavy, with the reigning flyweight champion absorbing a knee from Asakura and landing a hard right hand on the former RIZIN bantamweight titleholder. “The Cannibal” was able to score the takedown and got the better of the striking exchanges during the round, and he was on the front foot for most of that duration.

Pantoja got back to work in the second, managing to scramble and pin his Japanese opponent against the fence. He then scored a takedown and got a body lock in before looking for the rear-naked choke. The Brazilian locked it in and Asakura passed out trying to break out of the choke, giving the win and another successful defense to Pantoja.

Alexandre Pantoja Puts On Masterclass Performance In Successful Defense vs. UFC Debutant Kai Asakura

Pantoja captured the UFC flyweight championship with a decision win over Brandon Moreno at UFC 290 last year. He retained the title with decision wins over Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg at UFC 296 and UFC 301, respectively.

Asakura, meanwhile, originally won the RIZIN bantamweight championship with a knockout of Hiromasa Ougikubo at RIZIN 23 in August 2020. He dropped the title to Kyoji Horiguchi that December but regained it with a win over Juan Archuleta at RIZIN 45 last New Year’s Eve. That win marked Asakura’s final fight in RIZIN before jumping over to the UFC.

Though Asakura was more known as a bantamweight during his time in Japan, he did compete as a flyweight between 2015 and 2017.

VIDEO: UFC 310 Post-Fight Press Conference After Pantoja, Rakhmonov’s Headline Wins

The UFC 310 pay-per-view recently concluded, and MMA News has you covered with the post-fight press conference in Las Vegas. T-Mobile Arena played host to Octagon action on Dec. 7, as the mixed martial arts leader closed out its PPV schedule for 2024 with a stacked lineup that featured a championship, top contenders, experienced veterans, […]

The UFC 310 pay-per-view recently concluded, and MMA News has you covered with the post-fight press conference in Las Vegas.

T-Mobile Arena played host to Octagon action on Dec. 7, as the mixed martial arts leader closed out its PPV schedule for 2024 with a stacked lineup that featured a championship, top contenders, experienced veterans, and some promising prospects.

Of note were victories for reigning UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja, top welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov, ranked featherweight Bryce Mitchell, “Korean Superboy” Dooho Choi and the undefeated Movsar Evloev.

And before attention turns to next weekend’s year-ending UFC Fight Night in Tampa, Florida, there remains some business to attend to backstage at UFC 310.

Shortly after the main event’s ending, Dana White will appear in front of the media to reveal the recipients of the Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses before answering questions. The victorious fighters from UFC 310 will also take queries from the press in reaction to their performances.

With that said, see below for a live stream of the UFC 310 post-fight press conference via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, commencing at 1:15 AM ET.