Why the UFC Flyweight division needs Kai Asakura to beat Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 310
To avoid division stagnation with rematches, Kai Asakura could spark excitement for the flyweight division for years to come.
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Kai Asakura to beat Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 310? (Image via Open Source)
UFC 310 takes place this weekend and the main event is looking like it could be one of the fights of the year: Alexandre Pantoja defends his flyweight title against UFC newcomer Kai Asakura. They became the main event attraction after Belal Muhammad pulled out of his title defense against Shavkat Rakhmonov due to a toe injury.
Asakura comes into the Ultimate Fighting Championship with a reputation for being a knockout artist. He had some absolutely sensational performances in RIZIN before he made his way over to the United States. This 21-4-0 fighter has the ability to come in and win gold in his first-ever UFC fight and the rest of the flyweight division will probably hope that he dethrones the champion.
The UFC flyweight division needs new blood
Alexandre Pantoja has been a dominant champion in the 125-pound division of the UFC for some time now. With wins over the likes of Brandon Royval, Brandon Moreno and Steve Erceg, the Brazilian fighter has near enough cleared the top contenders to his crown.
Deiveson Figueiredo has moved on to the bantamweight division. Meanwhile, Kai Kara-France could get the title fight down the line. As such, Asakura defeating Pantoja could result in dream matchups against Kara-France, Royval and Moreno.
What sort of fighter is Kai Asakura?
Asakura is what you would call a true Mixed Martial Artist. It’s very rare to see him enter the ring or cage and fight in the same way twice. His ability to stifle his opponent’s style being a big part of what made him so deadly in RIZIN.
Granted, Muay Thai and boxing are his main disciplines, but Asakura has had the skill to nullify the strengths of fighters up to this point. As such, his game plan for Pantoja will likely remain the same – stuff takedowns and keep the fight on the feet.
Why beating Alexandre Pantoja is no easy feat?
Pantoja has been the king of the 125-pound division with his relentless work rate and ability on the ground. On top of that, ‘The Cannibal’ has the experience fighting under the bright lights on a UFC PPV card, something that Asakura, impressive as his career in RIZIN was, has not done yet.
As well-rounded as Asakura is, Pantoja is just as proficient, with 19 of his 26 wins coming by finishing his opponent. 10 of these were via submission and 9 were by knockout. So, he is no one trick pony and can stop his opponent in a myriad of ways.
It’s the way that Pantoja is able to completely suffocate his opponents in the cage that has helped him to maintain dominance. Going right at it from the opening to the final bell, the Brazilian fighter keeps piling on the pressure, cutting off corners and causing mistakes in his opponent’s movement and footwork to gain favorable positions.
Even if you are able to withstand what the champion can do on his feet, you then have to contend with the fact that he is a BJJ Black Belt, so you can’t even find solace on the ground. Asakura’s ground game has arguably not been tested at the very highest level. As such, it will be very interesting to see how he copes if Pantoja is able to take it to the floor.
Dana White’s UFC wants to make Kai Asakura a star
The UFC is always looking for diverse talent to help promote the brand in different territories. As the company essentially confirmed in the Countdown for UFC 310 video, they have never really had a Japanese champion. As such, pushing an Asian Champion in that market would be massive for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Asakura is well aware of what he could bring the both the division and the company. His recent comments to MMA Junkie essentially indicated why he’s getting the title fight so quickly.
Let’s be honest: it will be good for the UFC’s business if I win. I’m here to make it exciting, to get people interested in the flyweight division and have a bunch of new matchups ready to have on future shows.
Kai Asakura via MMA Junkie
The Japanese fighter has consistently sold out arenas in his home country. The UFC has not gone to Japan in some time. Asakura could be the one that brings the UFC back to Japan on a consistent basis.
Why the flyweight division needs Alexandre Pantoja to lose
As I mentioned, Pantoja has already beaten Royval and Moreno. So, that rules out them for another title shot against him anytime soon. This is the case for Royval, who has now lost to Pantoja twice and will hope for Asakura to get the win at UFC 310. If so, he can get another crack at the title.
Asakura isn’t coming into this fight as the favorite, with Pantoja currently on -285 compared to the Japanese fighter’s underdog status at +230 according to the official UFC odds. It would be an upset win, but it would completely open up the flyweight division and reshuffle the rankings with some fresh new matchups for the belt.
Pantoja is however an extremely impressive champion. It will take something pretty spectacular from Asakura to defeat the BJJ black belt. Either way, this is looking like one of the best main events on paper this year, and we should at least get two fighters in their prime raring to go on the biggest stage.
The division needs an Asakura win, the company probably wants an Asakura win…but Pantoja is not going to just lay down for the new kid on the block. Only time will tell what happens at UFC 310 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Related: Does Aljamain Sterling need to prove why he deserves Main Card spot after UFC 310 snub?
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Jake Skudder
(13 Articles Published)