Kai Asakura | Location, Location, Location
Having Switched To The Bantamweight Division, Japanese Superstar Kai Asakura Is Ready To Thrive In UFC, Starting at UFC Shanghai
Kai Asakura arrived in the UFC amid great fanfare, having starred alongside Kyoji Horiguchi and Manel Kape under the Rizin banner in Japan, splitting a pair of contests with each while standing as a perennial contender, two-time champion, and walking highlight machine.
Asakura followed Kape and Horiguchi to the flyweight ranks when he joined the mixed martial arts leader in 2024 and was thrust immediately into a title fight opposite champion Alexandre Pantoja, but the Brazilian submitted Asakura two minutes into the second round at UFC 310.
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Losing to a dominant champion like Pantoja is nothing to hang your head about, but eight months after faltering in his debut, Asakura suffered a second consecutive submission loss, this time falling to journeyman Tim Elliott, prompting questions about whether Asakura was going to be able to find his footing inside the Octagon.
A change was needed and subsequently made as the 31-year-old moved up to bantamweight and delivered a reminder of what made him a star in Japan, knocking out Cameron Smotherman in Macau.
“It felt so great and awesome because I lost the two fights, but this was the first win in the UFC,” Asakura said. “I struggled for a longer time than I expected, but it has been really awesome.”
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Like many who competed in Macau earlier this year, Asakura is set to return on Saturday in Shanghai, facing off with Aoriqileng in a main card matchup that feels destined to produce fireworks.
For his part, Asakura said he’s feeling increasingly more comfortable now that he’s further along in the relocation process and actually training to sharpening his weapons as opposed to worrying about his weight.
Kai Asakura Closes The Show In The First Round | UFC Macau
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Kai Asakura Closes The Show In The First Round | UFC Macau
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“I am focusing on gathering and collecting a lot of skills, focusing on the fight, so that’s gonna be a big difference,” Asakura said. “My condition is very good right now.”
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The fact that he’s set to compete again this weekend tells you all you need to know about how different things are for Asakura competing at bantamweight as opposed to flyweight.
Asakura fought thrice-a-year for the first four years under the Rizin Banner. A hand injury kept him out of action in 2022, but he returned for a pair of fights in 2023. Contrast that with his initial UFC outings, where he went eight months between his losses to Pantoja and Elliott, needing all of that time to recover from and then prepare for another gruelling weight cut.
Now, back at bantamweight, he’s hustling back into the Octagon on Saturday at Oriental Sports Arena in Shanghai to throwdown with “The Mongolian Murderer.”
“I couldn’t do this — a short span to another fight — at flyweight,” acknowledged Asakura, who has earned stoppages in 17 of his 22 career wins. “I usually do the short span, a lot of fights in previous organizations (when I’m) without injuries.”
Asakura is eager to keep up the busy schedule, aiming to fight every three to four months. In order to queue up his next hasty return, he first needs to deal with Aoriqileng this weekend.
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The 33-year-old veteran made the same move from flyweight to bantamweight following the decision losses to Jeff Molina and Cody Durden in the first two fights of his UFC tenure. Since then, he’s posted a 4-3 record with one no contest, flashing power and toughness in wins over Cameron Else, Johnny Munoz Jr. and Cody Gibson.
From Asakura’s perspective, he sees a lot of similarities between Aoriqileng and Smotherman, which has him not only eager to return to action on Saturday, but looking to make a bold statement with his performance as well.
“I think Aoriqileng is a similar type of striker to my previous opponent, so it’s gonna be an exciting fight,” he said with a smile. “I’m looking forward to that.”
Asakura is seeking his 15th professional knockout win and 23rd overall, and he also wants to throw down the gauntlet in the process.
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“I’m gonna prove I am the No. 1 striker at bantamweight in the UFC,” he said.
Should he secure a second straight stoppage win this weekend and provide further supporting evidence of his bold claim, Asakura has a long list of names he’d be open to facing next in order to continue backing up his declaration of superiority on the feet.
“Anyone,” he said. “I (will fight) anyone from the UFC!”
UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs Song took place live from Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China on August 29, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!