It's All or Nothing for Kai Asakura at UFC Macau

Japanese MMA star Kai Asakura’s initial entry into the UFC did not play out well. This weekend in Macau, China, the 32-year old is hoping to reverse his fortunes when he moves up to bantamweight in a make-it-or-break-it bout with a fellow struggling promotional athlete. 

Kai Asakura Returns to Bantamweight after Nearly Three Years

Before signing with the UFC in 2024, Asakura was coming off one of the biggest victories of his career when he captured the Rizin bantamweight strap with a thrilling second round knockout over Juan Archuleta at Rizin 45. Vacating the belt to join the UFC that next summer, he managed to make headlines when it was announced that he would be contending for the flyweight championship against then incumbent Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 310. Although some pundits were caught off guard by the booking, fans were ecstatic to see how the Japanese striker would fare in a scrap with one of the pound-for-pound best fighters on the planet. 

The answer was not very good in the slightest, with Asakura being rocked early into the second before being stopped via rear naked choke in what played out as “The Cannibal”’s third title defense. Almost immediately following the loss, questions began to be raised about the durability and stamina of Asakura as a 125-lb competitor, as his match with Pantoja was actually his first tilt in the weight class in over seven years, fighting mainly at bantamweight in that span of time. 

Kai Asakura Drops Submission to Tim Elliott

Waiting on the sidelines for almost a year, Asakura returned to action at UFC 319, facing Ultimate Fighter winner Tim Elliott. While he stood out as a massive betting favorite, the Japanese’s gas tank was swiftly exhausted by the awkward style and pressure of the American, leading to another disappointing second round submission setback. 

Kai Asakura Fighting for Redemption, and More, in China

In the wake of this disastrous two-bout losing skid, the first of his professional career, Asakura announced that he would be returning to bantamweight for his next fight. That next fight is scheduled for UFC Macau this Saturday, where he will come to blows with Cameron Smotherman, who is also going through a rough path himself in the organization.

Joining the UFC for a late-stage booking for UFC Fight Night: Pereira vs. Hernandez in late 2024, Smotherman showed a great deal of promise when he managed to mount a mammoth upset victory over Jake Hadley. Sadly, that promise was to be short-lived, as the previous Fury FC champion has since lost two bouts in a row to Serhiy Sidey and Kai Asakura. He was supposed to kick off his 2026 campaign this last January at UFC 324, but after shockingly fainting during weigh-ins, was forced off the card.

For the struggling Asakura, his back is now against the proverbial wall. While a win will only merely staunch the bleeding of his short UFC tenure, it will at least allow him to keep his place on the roster. However, a third consecutive defeat will undoubtedly mean his dismal from the promotion, shattering any and all hopes he may still have of achieving a UFC world championship.