Kai Asakura
Flyweight · Japan · UFC
Explosive striker with serious knockout power
Fast, aggressive blitzes that end fights early
Record & stats
| Division | Flyweight |
|---|---|
| Categories | MMA |
| Promotion | UFC |
| Nationality | Japan |
| Born | Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan |
| Team | JAPAN TOP TEAM |
| Pro debut | 2012 |
| Height | 173cm5′8″ |
| Reach | 175cm5′9″ |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Age | 32 |
| KO rate | 78% |
| Status | Active |
How the wins come
78% Finish rate- 15 KO/TKO · 65%
- 3 Submission · 13%
- 5 Decision · 22%
Recent results
- Wvs AoriqilengKai Asakura def. Aoriqileng — KO (head kick and strikes), R2 0:34
Auto-linked from KIAI's event coverage — updated as fights are decided.
Titles & honors
- Former 2x RIZIN Bantamweight Champion
Biography
Kai Asakura is a UFC bantamweight with a 23-6 record (15 KOs, 3 submissions) and a two-time former RIZIN bantamweight champion. On 29 August 2026 he knocked out Aoriqileng at 0:34 of round two at UFC Shanghai — his second straight finish since returning to bantamweight. His UFC record is 2-2.
Born 31 October 1993 in Toyohashi, Aichi. He fights out of JAPAN TOP TEAM. His older brother is Mikuru Asakura. A knockout win over Kyoji Horiguchi helped make him one of the faces of Japanese MMA.
Style
An orthodox striker who closes distance in a burst, with a hard right hand and a left high kick thrown off the step-in. Fifteen of his 23 wins are by knockout. The Aoriqileng fight was the template: a measured first round, then a left high kick landed flush seconds into the second.
From RIZIN to the UFC
He won the RIZIN bantamweight title in 2020 by beating Hiromasa Ogikubo, and took it a second time in 2023 against Juan Archuleta. His UFC arrival was unusual — his debut was a title shot. At UFC 310 in December 2024 he challenged Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight belt and lost by submission in round two.
He then lost to Tim Elliott by guillotine in August 2025, leaving him 0-2 in the UFC. Moving back down from flyweight to his natural bantamweight was the turning point: a first-round knockout of Cameron Smotherman in May 2026, and the Aoriqileng knockout in August. Two straight finishes have levelled his UFC record at 2-2.
What he still needs
Both wins came against unranked opposition. To reach the top of a division led by champion Petr Yan and No. 1 contender Merab Dvalishvili, Asakura needs a win over a ranked bantamweight. Where Japan's pursuit of a first UFC title stands is covered in When will Japan get its first UFC champion?
Full details of his most recent fight: UFC Shanghai results.
Fight history
- WAoriqilengW KO R2 0:34 (head kick and punches)
- WCameron SmothermanW KO R1 1:50 (punch)
- LTim ElliottL submission R2 4:39 (guillotine choke)
- LAlexandre PantojaL submission R2 2:05 (rear-naked choke)
FAQ
- What is Kai Asakura's record?
- 23-6 (15 KOs, 3 submissions), updated by his knockout of Aoriqileng at UFC Shanghai on 29 August 2026. His UFC record is 2-2.
- Who did Kai Asakura beat at UFC Shanghai?
- Aoriqileng of China. Asakura hurt him with a left high kick early in round two and finished with punches at 0:34.
- Has Kai Asakura fought for a UFC title?
- Yes. His UFC debut was a flyweight title challenge against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 310 in December 2024, which he lost by rear-naked choke at 2:05 of round two. He now competes at bantamweight.
- What division and team does Kai Asakura fight for?
- UFC bantamweight (135 lb), out of JAPAN TOP TEAM. He moved back up from flyweight in May 2026 and has finished both opponents since.