Alternative Of A Lifetime
Combating within the UFC for the primary time is usually a daunting prospect for any athlete, no matter any earlier stature or achievements. Octagon jitters have taken maintain of many fighters through the years, even those that have made the transition from one of many different main promotions. To make your UFC debut as one a part of a pay-per-view primary occasion is nearly unparalleled, and never since Joe Soto changed Renan Barao at brief discover to problem for T.J. Dillashaw’s bantamweight title again in 2014 has anybody entered the Octagon for the primary time underneath such an intense highlight.
Kai Asakura makes the leap into the massive leagues for the primary time this weekend to problem Alexandre Pantoja for the UFC flyweight title. Asakura (21-4), the previous Rizin bantamweight champion, has lengthy been lauded as some of the thrilling skills exterior of the UFC and has picked up victories over a litany of stellar names reminiscent of Kyoji Horiguchi, Manel Kape and Juan Archuleta.
The 31-year-old faces a monumental process as he appears to interrupt Pantoja’s spectacular profitable streak. “The Cannibal” has had his hand raised following his final six fights and can be seeking to efficiently defend his championship belt for the third time. Pantoja gained the title when he toppled Brandon Moreno at UFC 290 in July of 2023 and he has since overwhelmed each Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg to stay on the prime of the 125lb mountain.
Kinds Make Fights
Asakura possesses the kind of concussive energy that isn’t simple to search out within the lighter weight courses. The Japan High Group star combines slick boxing, speedy handspeed and precision placing and has rattled off 13 KO/TKOs all through his profession. He has confirmed adept at timing knees (see his end of Jaun Archuleta for example) and uppercuts up the center to stifle his opponent’s takedown makes an attempt, a talent which can show pivotal when he faces Pantoja this weekend.
Whereas he’s undoubtedly expert sufficient to compete within the higher echelons of the UFC’s flyweight division, there are some query marks over how he might deal with the transition from combating in Japan. For starters, he has been competing predominantly at 134lbs for a few years, and it stays to be seen if he can reduce the additional 9lbs successfully after travelling Stateside with none detrimental results on his potential to carry out.
He has additionally been competing in a hoop, relatively than a cage and this may convey it’s personal challenges. Footwork, angles, escapes/exits and the power to chop off the ring/cage will all change drastically for Asakura this Saturday night time. A few of his most popular weapons as soon as the struggle hits the canvas can even be unavailable. In Japan, soccer kicks and knees to the top of a grounded opponent have all been instruments that Asakura has made full use of and he must fully alter his strategy in these conditions.
Breaking down the UFC 310 primary occasion between Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Asakura pic.twitter.com/0UVme4e36M
— Paul Browne (@BJJ_Browner) December 5, 2024
These changes would ideally be ironed out of Asakura’s sport over the course of quite a few coaching camps and fights towards mid-tier opponents, with a view to difficult for the title as soon as he has absolutely acclimatised to life contained in the Octagon. He gained’t be allowed that point to regulate nonetheless, and faces a baptism of fireplace this Saturday.
Pantoja’s fashion can be very acquainted to UFC followers. The Brazilian is considerably of a berserker who works relentlessly to overwhelm his opponents. He throws punches in bunches to disguise his takedown makes an attempt and typically favors bodylock-style takedowns, relatively than a Khamzat Chimaev-esque lengthy vary shot. As soon as on the bottom, Pantoja is a grasp at controlling his opponents from prime place and has submitted a number of high-profile fighters reminiscent of Brandon Royval and Alex Perez.
A lot has been made from the truth that he could also be outsized by Asakura on Saturday night time. Pantoja is a full three inches shorter than the challenger however we had a sneak peak at how he may deal with that scenario earlier this 12 months when he confronted Steve Erceg. “Astro Boy” is identical peak as Asakura (though he maybe lacks the attain that the Japanese star brings to the desk) and Pantoja was in a position to outwork him over the course of 5 full rounds at UFC 301 in his native Rio de Janeiro in Could.
Given the choice, Kai Asakura might have most popular to dip his toes within the water first earlier than absolutely submerging himself within the UFC’s flyweight title image, however come Saturday night time it is going to be a case of getting to ‘sink or swim’ for the mercurial Japanese expertise.
