UFC newcomer Kai Asakura plans to place his knockout energy on show in opposition to flyweight titleholder Alexandre Pantoja.
After making a reputation for himself below the RIZIN FF banner, capturing the promotion’s bantamweight title on two separate events and stacking our bodies with a slew of highlight-reel knockouts, Asakura makes his UFC debut on the promotion’s closing pay-per-view occasion of the 12 months on December 7.
However he’s not simply combating on the cardboard — he’s headlining it.
Asakura steps into the principle occasion highlight in his first UFC outing and plans on bringing the flyweight championship again house to Japan, changing into the primary Japanese-born fighter to take action within the UFC’s trendy period.
Looking forward to their extremely anticipated conflict at UFC 310 in Las Vegas, Asakura made a fairly daring prediction for his promotional premiere.
“I don’t see him [Pantoja] representing any problems for me anywhere,” Asakura informed the UFC throughout a current interview. “He’s somebody I don’t suppose I’ll have any drawback coping with. The benefit I maintain over Pantoja is that I’ve one-shot knockout energy, so it solely takes one shot and I’m anticipating this battle to be over with one shot…
“I know in the history of the UFC, there have been many famous knockout scenes, but I’m hoping that at UFC 310, I can add my finish to those highlight reels.”
Kai Asakura warns followers to not blink throughout closing UFC title battle of 2024
Asakura, 31, is 21-4 in his combined martial arts profession with 13 of his victories coming by means of knockout. His final look got here at RIZIN 45 when he scored a second-round TKO in opposition to former Bellator champion Juan Archuleta. Asakura additionally holds victories over Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi.
“Since I started fighting, I always wanted to be the best in the world [and] to me, it would all be meaningless unless I reached the very top,” Asakura mentioned in a promo hyping his conflict with Pantoja. “I’m here to become UFC champion, I have a stronger will than anybody else. I know how to achieve my goals and that’s all I’m focused on.”
