Kaito Oda suffered a judges' decision loss to Ji Niu Shuye in an intense back-and-forth battle in the Road To UFC flyweight tournament. Despite a competitive fight where neither fighter gave ground, Oda came up short on the scorecards.
Kaito Oda fell short on the scorecards against Ji Niu Shuye in a flyweight tournament bout at Road To UFC, dropping a judges' decision in a closely contested affair on May 29, 2026.
By all accounts the fight was a back-and-forth battle, with neither man able to establish clear dominance, yet when the final bell sounded it was Shuye whose performance resonated more strongly with the three ringside judges. Oda, despite pushing the pace and refusing to concede ground throughout the contest, could not convert his efforts into the numbers needed to secure the victory.
Why it matters
- The result eliminates or sets back Oda in the Road To UFC flyweight tournament bracket, altering the path to a potential UFC contract.
- Ji Niu Shuye advances his case for progression in the tournament, keeping his bid for a UFC deal alive.
- Closely judged fights in regional tournaments often highlight how thin the margin is between fighters competing at this developmental level.
The Road To UFC series continues to serve as one of the most competitive proving grounds in Asia for fighters chasing a spot on the UFC roster, and the flyweight bracket remains wide open following this result.
