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Former UFC Champion Points Out Huge Difference Kai Asakura Will Have To Adapt To At UFC 310

One of the most exciting elements of the UFC’s final PPV event of 2024 is the introduction of a new superstar who is going right into a main event title fight. Kai Asakura has already become a huge name in Japan through the time he has spent in RIZIN. Though the 31-year old has fought […]

Though the 31-year old has fought some names that UFC fans will recognise, not to mention some of the acclaim he has received during his time in Japan, December 7 is when we all get to find out how he will fare in the UFC’s flyweight division when he challenges Alexandre Pantoja for the 125-pound title.

Asakura’s highlight reel, which fans will become used to seeing in the promos for UFC 310, paints a good picture of who he is as a fighter. He does his best work on the feet and has some signature finishes to go with his striking skills.

That then opens up the question of how he will perform when facing a very high-level grappler in Pantoja who is usually so dominant on the ground. In a recent YouTube video, UFC commentator and former champion Michael Bisping added another question mark to this debate.

He pointed out that just like when the UFC and PRIDE fighters would crossover back in the day, fighters would have to adapt to fighting in a ring or a cage and that could be a factor in Las Vegas’ main event clash because it changes the way that you defend takedowns.

“The big difference between PRIDE and the UFC is that they are competed in a ring and the reason why this is going to be interesting is because has he adapted his style to the UFC, has he been training in a cage? In his fights, for example his last one against Juan Archuleta, Juan Archuleta was trying to take him down. Up against the ring, under the ropes, he was sprawling and his legs were all the way past, they were right past the end of the ropes on the apron of the ring… obviously, in a cage, you can’t do that. So if you’re pushed up against it, your feet are perpendicular to your body and that makes it easier for somebody like Alexandre Pantoja to get a hold of a leg.”

Kai Asakura Explains Why Title Win Over Alexandre Pantoja Would Be Good For UFC

UFC flyweight newcomer Kai Asakura believes the promotion should be rooting for him when he challenges for gold in his very first Octagon outing. Asakura, a former champion under the Rizin banner in Asia, has a rare chance to reach a UFC throne in his very first fight for the promotion. After signing earlier this […]

UFC flyweight newcomer Kai Asakura believes the promotion should be rooting for him when he challenges for gold in his very first Octagon outing.

Asakura, a former champion under the Rizin banner in Asia, has a rare chance to reach a UFC throne in his very first fight for the promotion. After signing earlier this year, the Japanese star’s debut was announced for UFC 310 next month.

Inside T-Mobile Arena, the 31-year-old will challenge the reign of Alexandre Pantoja in the pay-per-view main event. The pair were elevated to headline status after the withdrawal of Belal Muhammad from his scheduled welterweight title defense.

While he may be an unknown entity to much of the UFC fanbase, Asakura is bringing over a sizable following from his native Japan. But beyond just that, the incoming fighter sees another reason why a victory on Dec. 7 would be beneficial for his new employer.

During a recent interview with MMA Junkie‘s Mike Bohn, Asakura suggested that a title crowning in his debut would be “good business” for the UFC.

Though some might point to his stardom in the East as the grounds for that, the ex-Rizin kingpin instead labeled his entertaining style and the first-time matchups that would await him as UFC flyweight champion.

“Let’s be honest: It’s good business for the UFC if I win,” Asakura said. “I’m here to make it exciting, for people to have interest in the flyweight division and have a whole bunch of new matchups ready to have on future shows.

“I’m a little bit different than the other fighters in the flyweight division, I have the ability to capitalize on one of (Pantoja’s) misses and put him to sleep. That’s what I’m aiming for, and I think that’s what makes my challenge for this title fight different than anyone else,” Asakura continued. “I hope one day Dana White will turn to the audience and say, ‘This kid is a special KO artist, a KO machine.’”

Before looking to prove as much by enjoying an exciting rule over the flyweight division, Asakura must first unseat Pantoja. That will be no easy feat given how “The Cannibal” has turned away challenges from Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg since dethroning Brandon Moreno in July 2023.

Askaura, though, is high in self-belief and plans on making sure his name is known by the MMA masses come fight night at T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 7.

pic.twitter.com/VCRNbJACy0

— ?? ? Kai Asakura (@kai_1031_) November 25, 2024

Read More: Kai Asakura Reveals UFC’s Original Plan For Him Fell Through

‘Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime’: Ian Machado Garry on Accepting the Shavkat Rakhmonov ‘Boogeyman’ Challenge at UFC 310

Two undefeated welterweight contenders Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry are set to face off on December 7, 2024,…

Two undefeated welterweight contenders Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry are set to face off on December 7, 2024, at UFC 310 in a five-round title eliminator. ‘The Future’ Garry broke down why he is so excited for this matchup while in Thailand.

Ian Machado Garry Ready to Face Shavkat Rakhmonov

Since joining the UFC, Garry has maintained an impressive undefeated streak. As of November 2024, he holds a professional record of 15 wins with no losses. In the UFC, he has fought eight times and won all his bouts. The Irish striker has a quality pull counter. Some notable victories include wins over opponents like Neil Magny, Daniel Rodriguez, and Michael ‘Venom’ Page.

gettyimages 2159881168 612x612 1 — LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 29: Ian Machado Garry of Ireland reacts to his victory over Michael Page of England in a welterweight fight during the UFC 303 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

The Kazakhstani mixed martial artist Shavkat Rakhmonov has made a significant impact in the UFC’s welterweight division with his undefeated record. Rakhmonov has developed a reputation for his relentless skills in both striking and grappling. Since making his UFC debut in 2020, he has maintained a perfect professional record of 18 wins and no losses, with an impressive 10 victories by submission and 8 by knockout.

The Irish athlete Ian Machado Garry discussed the Shavkat Rakhmonov on his YouTube channel. He said:

“I want people to say, ‘This guy will fight anyone, anywhere, anytime.’ A perfect example—give me the boogeyman of the welterweight division, and I’ll stand in there on three weeks’ notice and find a way to beat him.

“Can I be the guy to defeat Shavkat? Find out when it happens, baby. He’s been looking at me for seven or eight months. I signed to fight the baddest man in the division, and he comes out of the shadows.

“Honestly, I’ve been pushing for the Shavkat fight. I wanted undefeated vs. undefeated.”

UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Fights Added To Los Angeles-Held UFC 311

MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming cards. With 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, November 18, and Sunday, […]

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

With 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, November 18, and Sunday, November 24, a number of notable fights were made official by the UFC or reported as being in the works by reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:

Its a Fight, Its a joy to be alive and create the Best ourselfs. Lets get it !!! #ufc311 pic.twitter.com/UM85x7ctba

— Jiri BJP Prochazka (@jiri_bjp) November 23, 2024

Plenty 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 falling through or being adjusted. For those, see below:

Kai Asakura Reveals UFC’s Original Plan For Him Fell Through

Fight fans were very surprised to see that Kai Asakura would be fighting for the UFC flyweight title on his Octagon debut at UFC 310. The former RIZIN bantamweight champion is a big star in Japan so it would make sense why the UFC would want to showcase him. That being said, plenty of big […]

That being said, plenty of big signings have arrived in the promotion before and not gone straight into a title shot. Fighters like Michael Chandler, Ji?í Procházka, Kayla Harrison and Michael “Venom” Page all entered the UFC and went straight into a fight within the top 15 rankings of their divisions.

When it was announced that Asakura has signed with the MMA leader, it was reported that he would be jumping right into the top five of the flyweight division after deciding to move down from bantamweight which he plans on returning to in the future. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, the title challenger was asked whether his discussions with the UFC always involved him facing Alexandre Pantoja for the gold.

He revealed that the original plan that was put in place was for him to face a top three guy in the division in his debut. Asakura said that once it became clear that this wasn’t happening, an offer he couldn’t refuse landed on his lap instead.

“We as a team had discussed with them about fighting somebody in the top three and they had agreed to provide a top three challenger for me and we had a fight. It unfortunately fell through and then after that fight fell through, I was given this opportunity to fight for the title and of course, we took it right away.”

The proposed fight that Asakura may be referring to was a match-up with Brandon Royval that “Raw Dawg” said he was offered for UFC 305 this past August. Royval instead went on to face Asakura’s fellow Japanese standout, Tatsuro Taira, in October.

Laura Sanko Gets Chills from UFC Talent Shavkat Rakhmonov

Laura Sanko’s admiration for undefeated finisher Shavkat Rakhmonov has been one of the more entertaining stories to come out…

Laura Sanko’s admiration for undefeated finisher Shavkat Rakhmonov has been one of the more entertaining stories to come out of the UFC in recent years.

It all started during the UFC 279 weigh-in show when Sanko exclaimed that the ‘Nomad’ gave her chills. More than her words, it was the delivery of said declaration that got everyone’s attention.

Things really started to heat up a few months later ahead of UFC 285 when Sanko appeared on the weigh-in show sporting a Kazakh Hat similar to the one Rakhomov wears to the Octagon. As Sanko curiously stroked the tail of the headwear and sang Rakhmonov’s praises, fans online went crazy, and an entire country instantly followed Sanko on Instagram.

Asked about Sanko’s comments during the UFC 285 media day, Rakhmonov acknowledged that he had seen the clip and found it quite humorous.

“Yes, of course. I saw that video,” Rakhmonov said through a translator when asked about the viral clip. “What can I say? As a man, you always like when a woman adores you. So…”

Sanko eventually did attempt to quell the rumors of her manufactured courtship with the welterweight star.

“Can we please address this? I don’t have a crush on the man. I like his fighting style,” Sanko said as she felt forced to clear the air. “An entire country thinks I do and I need to correct the record. Still a fan, I just don’t have a crush. The entire country of Kazakhstan is very excited about it because I got like 20,000 new followers after that day. No, I have a husband.”

Of course, that did little to kill the narrative that was already sweeping across social media.

Laura Sanko Admits She still gets chills from shavkat rakhmonov — and nothing else

Recently, Gabriel Gonzalez — the same MMA reporter who asked ‘Nomad’ about Sanko’s comments in March 2023 — caught up with the UFC color commentator and offered up an apology for his role in perpetuating the rumors.

“I almost forgot that you were responsible for that,” Sanko told Gonzalez. “You ask one question and the whole world lights on fire. I don’t know that you owe me an apology. You don’t owe me an apology. But it was certainly, um, it was really blown out of proportion. But that’s okay — I got quite a bit of Instagram following off of it.

“And I will say this: the Kazakh fans are absolutely amazing, and I’ve kind of fallen in love with this idea of Kazakhstan and its craziness for anything Shavkat-related.”

Though things may have gotten a little blown out of proportion — as Sanko stated — the former fighter admits to still getting chills when Rakhmonov puts his skills on display inside the Octagon, and she’s certainly not the only one.

“The internet — I’m not the only one that’s getting chills, guys. I’m not the only one that’s getting chills.”

Fortunately, Sanko and Rakhmonov’s home country won’t have to wait long to see ‘Nomad’ back in action. On Saturday, December 7, the 18-0 sensation returns to action for a potential welterweight title eliminator against fast-rising Irish star Ian Machado Garry at UFC 310 in Las Vegas.