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RIZIN Star Kai Asakura Responds to Fan Backlash Over UFC 310 Title Fight Against Alexandre Pantoja

RIZIN Star Kai Asakura Responds to Fan Backlash Over UFC 310 Title Fight Against Alexandre Pantoja RIZIN star Kai Asakura will make his UFC debut on December 7 when the promotion closes out its pay-per-view…

RIZIN star Kai Asakura will make his UFC debut on December 7 when the promotion closes out its pay-per-view scheduled in Las Vegas.

As announced by CEO Dana White, Asakura will challenge reigning flyweight world champion Alexandre Pantoja in the UFC 310 co-main event, a bit of news that has some fans frustrated.

While it’s becoming more common for fighters to earn a title opportunity with just a few fights under their belt i.e. Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka, seeing a newcomer immediately step into the title picture and challenge an established champion while simultaneously skipping a line of top 10 contenders is unusual, even for UFC standards.

As a result, fans are lashing out about Asakura’s “unearned” opportunity, but that’s certainly nothing new for the two-time RIZIN titleholder.

“A lot of people say I can’t win a title match, but I’ve overcome similar adversity and I believe I can win, and I’ll prove it in the cage,” Asakura wrote in a translated post on X.

Brandon Royval Reacts to Kai Asakura’s Title Opportunity

One man who will be watching Pantoja vs. Asakura very closely is Brandon Royval. The one-time title challenger secured a big win over Tatsuro Taira in the UFC Vegas 98 headliner on Saturday, re-establishing himself as the division’s top-ranked contender.

In all likelihood, he’ll fight the winner of December’s flyweight title tilt.

Asked for his take on Asakura’s opportunity during the post-fight press conference, Royval said:

”I’ve been watching Kai Asakura for a while, I think he’s sick. I think there’s a lot of cool things, he’s yet to make flyweight. So I’ll be there and I’ll be ready just in case he doesn’t. That being said, I’ll give the man his roses, I think he brings a lot of excitement to the division but I think if Pantoja grapples him at all it’s gonna be over”

Asakura is 21-4 in his mixed martial arts career with 13 wins by way of knockout and three submissions. He is a two-time RIZIN bantamweight champion and was a 2021 Bantamweight World Grand Prix runner-up.

UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Neil Magny vs. Carlos Prates Headlines UFC Vegas 100

MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming cards. With UFC events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week. Between Monday, October 7, and […]

Continue Reading UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Neil Magny vs. Carlos Prates Headlines UFC Vegas 100 at MMA News.

MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming cards.

With UFC events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.

Between Monday, October 7, and Sunday, October 13, a couple of notable fights were made official by the UFC or reported by reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:

A number of lower-profile matchups also came together. For those, check out this week’s quick hits:

But it wasn’t all positive, with two fights being adjusted. For those, see below:

Continue Reading UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Neil Magny vs. Carlos Prates Headlines UFC Vegas 100 at MMA News.

Belal Muhammad vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov Set For UFC 310 Main Event, Pantoja Defense Co-headlines

The UFC will close out its pay-per-view schedule for 2024 with two major championship fights in Las Vegas on December 7. With the final quarter of this year well underway, mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is beginning to fill the remaining slots on its fight schedule. And in two of the most prominent ones now […]

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The UFC will close out its pay-per-view schedule for 2024 with two major championship fights in Las Vegas on December 7.

With the final quarter of this year well underway, mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is beginning to fill the remaining slots on its fight schedule. And in two of the most prominent ones now sit reigning titleholders.

UFC CEO Dana White took to social media on Saturday to announce the headline bouts for UFC 310, the promotion’s final PPV of the year.

Closing out 2024 in style, a highly anticipated welterweight title fight between newly crowned champion Belal Muhammad (24-3, 1 NC) and undefeated challenger Shavkat Rakhmonov (18-0) will top the lineup inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

There will also be title stakes in the co-headliner, as flyweight kingpin Alexandre Pantoja (28-5) returns for his second defense of the year and third overall. Having turned away the threats posed by Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg, “The Cannibal” will next share the cage with a newcomer in former Rizin champ Kai Asakura (21-4).

Muhammad captured the 170-pound gold in enemy territory this past July, beating Leon Edwards in dominant fashion to extend his unbeaten run to 11 straight fights. Rakhmonov, meanwhile, has won all six of his Octagon outings to date, submitting both Geoff Neal and Stephen Thompson in his most recent fights.

Pantoja is deeper into his reign on the throne at 125 pounds, having held the crown since a memorable win over Brandon Moreno in the summer of 2023. After a scare against Australia’s Erceg in Rio de Janeiro earlier this year, the Brazilian will look to increase his grip on the title against a highly regarded debutant in Japan’s Asakura.

White also confirmed that Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov and Vicente Luque vs. Nick Diaz — matchups postponed from cards in October and August, respectively — have been rescheduled for the same event.

With these additions, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 310 on Dec. 7 are as follows:

Belal Muhammad (C) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov (welterweight championship main event)
Alexandre Pantoja (C) vs. Kai Asakura (flyweight championship co-main event)
Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov (heavyweight)
Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling (featherweight)
Vicente Luque vs. Nick Diaz (welterweight)
Tatiana Suarez vs. Virna Jandiroba (women’s strawweight)
Anthony Smith vs. Dominick Reyes (light heavyweight)
Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin (welterweight)
Clay Guida vs. Chase Hooper (lightweight)
Cody Durden vs. Joshua Van (flyweight)

Continue Reading Belal Muhammad vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov Set For UFC 310 Main Event, Pantoja Defense Co-headlines at MMA News.

Brandon Royval Sees “Strong Possibility” UFC Newcomer Could Beat Alexandre Pantoja

Brandon Royval is set to return this weekend at the UFC Apex where he faces the undefeated Tatsuro Taira in the main event. Even after beating Brandon Moreno last time out to cement his status as the #1-ranked flyweight in the division, handing Taira his first win may not be enough for him to secure […]

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Brandon Royval is set to return this weekend at the UFC Apex where he faces the undefeated Tatsuro Taira in the main event.

Even after beating Brandon Moreno last time out to cement his status as the #1-ranked flyweight in the division, handing Taira his first win may not be enough for him to secure a second title shot.

“Raw Dog” has already suffered two defeats to the current champion, Alexandre Pantoja, which makes it significantly harder to put him straight back in.

Royval spoke in a recent interview with Inside Fighting about how the talk of who will be Pantoja’s next challenger has been pretty quiet.

After he faced a surprising opponent in Steve Erceg last time out, it would have likely been Muhammad Mokaev as the next in line if he was still with the promotion.

Royval, however, believes that it could be a new arrival into the division that is next for the champ.

Brandon Royval Says That Kai Asakura Could Be The Man To Beat Alexandre Pantoja

Earlier this year in June, the UFC was announced to have signed RIZIN bantamweight champion Kai Asakura.

The 30-year old Japanese star has got a huge fan following back in his native country and by all accounts, would be jumping in at the deep end once he arrived inside the Octagon.

Royval took this as him facing Pantoja down at 125-pounds, as he told Inside Fighting.

“I mean I thought it was Kai Asakura. I thought that was who the next fight would be and I was like, if I win this fight, I’m just gonna call out Pantoja or Asakura. But I mean I’ve still never heard anything so maybe it’s like I’m just starting these rumours myself.”

Royval was also asked how he would feel about someone new entering the promotion and jumping right into a title shot.

His response was that someone new being the champion would help his case for another title shot and in his opinion, Asakura would have a good chance of beating Pantoja.

“Oh I don’t give a s***, as long as it doesn’t affect my road, it would be dope if he wins because if he wins, I for sure get the next title shot. In my opinion, I don’t really care. I just try to get in there when I fit in there so I think if he wins and beats Alexandre Pantoja, which I think is a strong possibility, then I could go fight Kai Asakura.”

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UFC sign Rizin FF champion, Japanese MMA star Kai Asakura to multi fight deal: ‘I’m giving up my belt’

The UFC have bolstered their ranks once more overnight, with Rizin FF bantamweight champion and Japanese mixed martial arts…

The UFC have bolstered their ranks once more overnight, with Rizin FF bantamweight champion and Japanese mixed martial arts star, Kai Asakura confirming his move to the promotion overnight.

Asakura, the current undisputed bantamweight titleholder, holds an impressive 21-4 professional mixed martial arts record, most recently landed the division crown in a vacant title fight win over former Bellator MMA champion, Juan Archuleta with a second round TKO win at the end of last year.

Kai Asakura confirms move to the UFC overnight

And long-linked with a potential move overseas to the UFC, Asakura confirmed over the course of last night in an announcement that he would be vacating his championship title at the bantamweight limit and is set to enter the Octagon.

“I am giving up my belt and going to the UFC,” Kai Asakura said at last night’s Rizin FF event. “I think there will be an announcement from the UFC soon, but it’s official that I’m going. This should be exciting new, but right now, I feel very lonely. I believe that thanks to Rizin. I, who was originally no one, was recognized as a fighter, a martial artist, a man.”

“And last year on New Year’s Eve, it was Mr. Sakakibara who accepted my selfish request to go to the UFC without a single [title] defense,” Kai Asakura explained. “I would like to thank Mr, Sakakibara from the bottom of my heart for his support. Thank you very much.”

Asakura, 30, has landed notable professional victories over the likes of Hiromosa Ougikubo, as well as former UFC title challenger, Kyoji Horiguchi, and Angolan bantamweight star, Manel Kape during his run with the Japan-based, Rizin FF organization.

Who would you like to see Kai Asakura fight in his first outing in the UFC?

Brandon Royval On Failed Talks To Fight UFC Newcomer: ‘Asked For More Money…They Said No’

UFC flyweight contender Brandon Royval returns to action on Saturday night at the Apex, but he nearly had a much different assignment a couple of months ago. Royval last competed in Mexico City this past February, where he exacted revenge on Brandon Moreno in their headlining rematch. With that result, “Raw Dawg” is ranked #1 […]

Continue Reading Brandon Royval On Failed Talks To Fight UFC Newcomer: ‘Asked For More Money…They Said No’ at MMA News.

UFC flyweight contender Brandon Royval returns to action on Saturday night at the Apex, but he nearly had a much different assignment a couple of months ago.

Royval last competed in Mexico City this past February, where he exacted revenge on Brandon Moreno in their headlining rematch. With that result, “Raw Dawg” is ranked #1 at 125 pounds.

He’ll now have the chance to potentially secure another shot at Alexandre Pantoja’s title this weekend, when he tops a UFC Fight Night lineup at the Apex opposite the #5-ranked Tatsuro Taira.

Had the UFC’s plans come to fruition, however, Royval would have been set to compete in other surroundings against a fighter without a number next to their name — or a UFC fight on their record…

Royval On Rejecting Asakura Fight: ‘Not Getting A Guaranteed Title Shot, Not Getting More Money…’

During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Royval looked ahead to his upcoming headliner with Taira and revealed that he was almost set for a much different test far from home.

“Raw Dawg” said he was offered the chance to welcome Kai Asakura to the promotion at the UFC 305 pay-per-view in Perth, Australia this past August.

But after his requests for additional payment for the long-distance trip and guarantees of a title shot should he win were rejected, Royval opted against heading Down Under to face the former Rizin champion.

“They offered me that fight (Asakura) in Australia,” Royval said. “I asked them for more money, I asked for a handful of stuff, and they said no. And then I asked them for one of any of those things, and they said no. And I was like, all right, well, then I’m not gonna go f*cking fight some dude, not in the UFC, for not much money, all the way across the (world) where I’m not getting any sleep. I’m not getting any of this, I’m not getting a guaranteed title shot, I’m not getting any more money.

“I got to bring my whole team out there if I’m going to go out there because I need to get my Arcadian rhythm in cycle. So it’s like, I got to fly out my whole team and guys that look like Kai Asakura. So it was one of those (things where) financially, (it) doesn’t make sense to me,” Royval continued. “And then it’s also, like, the risk doesn’t (exceed) the reward. If I go out there and lose, I just lost (to) somebody without a ranking, and if I go out there and win, they’re not guaranteeing me a title shot or anything. So there was really no reward in that.”

Things have seemingly worked out well for Royval, who is now days away from facing a fellow top-five contender in what will mark his second consecutive UFC main event.

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Continue Reading Brandon Royval On Failed Talks To Fight UFC Newcomer: ‘Asked For More Money…They Said No’ at MMA News.