UFC 310: Alexandre Pantoja to Defend Flyweight Title Against Newcomer Kai Asakura in Co-Main Event

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UFC has announced that UFC flyweight champion Alexandre "The Cannibal" Pantoja will make his third title defense against UFC newcomer Kai Asakura in the co-main event of UFC 310 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, December 7.

Pantoja (28-5, fighting out of Arraial Do Cabo, Brazil) won the UFC flyweight title at UFC 290 in July of 2023 against then champion Brandon Moreno and subsequently defended it against Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg within a one-year period.

Pantoja has 10 wins via submission, eight wins by knockout, and 10 first-round finishes. He holds victories over Moreno (three times), Alex Perez, Manel Kape, Ulka Sasaki, and Kai Kara-France.

Asakura (21-4, fighting out of Aichi, Japan) makes his UFC debut a historic one with an immediate title shot. He is currently Japan's most well-known MMA athlete and a proven knock-out artist with over a decade of experience in MMA.

Asakura's base style is Zendokai, a Japanese karate that's inclusive of striking and grappling. He is on a two-fight win streak and has been the main or co-main event in nine out his last 12 fights in Japan's top MMA organization, RIZIN FF.

Most recently, the Japanese new-signee of the UFC, won the RIZIN FF bantamweight championship by defeating Juan Archuleta in December of 2023. Asakura has wins over Manel Kape, Kyoji Horiguchi, and Ulka Sasaki.

Asakura's signing brings the roster of Japanese athletes in UFC to seven, which includes #5 ranked flyweight Tatsuro Taira; women's strawweight Mizuki; welterweight Yusaku Kinoshita; ROAD TO UFC Season 1 bantamweight finalists Rinya Nakamura and Toshiomi Kazama; and ROAD TO UFC Season 2 flyweight winner Rei Tsuruya.

Kevin Chang, UFC Senior Vice President and Head of Asia, said, "The fact that our matchmakers put Kai Asakura in an immediate title fight underscores the quality of top-level talent coming out of Japan in the past three years. Athletes such as Tatsuro Taira, Rinya Nakamura, and Rei Tsuruya signal a return to the glory days of MMA in Japan."

Kai Asakura said, "I'm here to make the UFC flyweight division very exciting! My debut fight in UFC will be on December 7 when I face Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight title at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas at UFC 310.

"If you have seen any of my fights, then you know how exciting a fighter I am, and if you haven't seen any of my fights, get ready. I will win the championship, and I will become the UFC's first ever Japanese champion. I'm ready to put on some of the most exciting fights that UFC fans will ever see!"

In the main event of UFC 310, UFC welterweight champion Belal "Remember the Name" Muhammad will make his first defense of the title against undefeated No. 3 ranked phenom Shavkat "Nomad" Rakhmonov.

Other bouts announced for the UFC 310 Fight Card include, a welterweight bout which sees No. 14 ranked finisher, Vincente Luque take on former title challenger and fan favorite Nick Diaz.

Also, heavyweight contenders look to cement a bid as the next title challenger when No. 2 ranked former interim champion Ciryl "Bon Gamin" Gane (12-2, fighting out of Paris, France) faces No. 3 ranked Alexander "Drago" Volkov