Former RIZIN champion and Japanese MMA superstar Kai Asakura is preparing to make his debut in the UFC. With only a few days remaining until his highly anticipated first fight, the Japanese star has shared some fascinating insights into his career. As such, Kai Asakura even revealed the story of his initial introduction to MMA.
Over the years, the MMA community has been captivated by the fascinating stories of top fighters. As such, they have often discussed their early life struggles and how they were introduced to the sport. This time, Kai Asakura has shared his own journey in MMA. As with many fighters’ stories, Asakura had his brother by his side, who first introduced him to the world of fighting, particularly through street fighting.
The story of how I got into MMA is quite crazy… One day, my older brother called me out into the street. Suddenly, he gave me some boxing gloves to wear. He was really trying to kill me with each strike. I was able to dodge everything. It was the first time I ever had a real fight. That’s when I realized I had serious potential as a fighter. That’s what got me to start training MMA.
Kai Asakura via UFC 310 Countdown (Check from 7:00)
Per the Japanese fighter, his older brother, Mikuru Asakura, was a street fighter who once gave him boxing gloves and challenged him to a fight. At that time, Kai was unaware of what fighting truly was but surprisingly managed to dodge his brother’s strikes.
Following this experience, their mother enrolled both brothers in boxing classes. This eventually played a significant role in shaping Asakura into the fighter he is today. At RIZIN, Asakura gained significant recognition as a bantamweight champion due to his outstanding performance. As a result, the Japanese fighter transitioned to the UFC, regarded as the premier MMA promotion in the world.
In his debut fight, Asakura is scheduled to compete for the flyweight title against Alexandre Pantoja. This fight has created excitement around the division. As such, even a former flyweight champion looks forward to seeing the Japanese fighter fight.
Brandon Royval reacts to Kai Asakura’s inclusion in the UFC flyweight division
Since his professional debut over a decade ago, Kai Asakura has made significant progress in his career. Throughout the years, the Japanese fighter has fought and defeated several formidable opponents, establishing a strong reputation in the world of MMA. Notably, the UFC, always on the lookout for exciting talent, has recognized Asakura as a promising fighter.
Kai Asakura is set to fight Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 310 (Image via Imgo/Instagram)As a result, the promotion views him as a strong potential opponent for the reigning UFC flyweight champion, Alexandre Pantoja. Interestingly, Pantoja has faced scrutiny for his lackluster performances in the past, but he is now set to fight an exceptional striker. In light of this matchup, several individuals, including former flyweight champion Brandon Royval, have expressed their excitement.
I’ve been watching Kai Asakura for a while, I think he’s sick. I think there’s a lot of cool things, he’s yet to make flyweight. So I’ll be there and I’ll be ready just in case he doesn’t. That being said, I’ll give the man his roses, I think he brings a lot of excitement to the division…
Brandon Royval via UFC Vegas 98 post-fight presser (Check from 4:48)
Interestingly, Royval suggested that he might be available as a backup for the fight between Asakura and Pantoja at UFC 310. One reason for this is that the Japanese fighter has not competed in the flyweight division of any promotion since 2017. It will be interesting to see if he can make the weight at UFC 310.
