Kai Asakura says he feels excellent competing at bantamweight and wants to return in August at a Shanghai event. After two consecutive losses, he admits he seriously considered retirement and feared being cut from the UFC. At 135 pounds, he retains more muscle mass and power compared to flyweight, where he struggled to maintain strength. He is uninjured and wants to fight three times this year, aiming for a knockout victory next and a ranked opponent.
Kai Asakura has declared himself fully healthy and eager to compete at bantamweight, with the Japanese fighter expressing a desire to return to action in August at a UFC event in Shanghai.
Asakura, 32, enters this stretch of his career having gone 21-6 overall, with his most recent stretch including two consecutive defeats that pushed him to a difficult crossroads. By his own admission, he seriously weighed retirement and genuinely feared the UFC might release him from his contract. The move to bantamweight appears to have reinvigorated him. Competing at 135 pounds allows him to carry more muscle mass and preserve the power that proved difficult to maintain when cutting to flyweight, where he is currently ranked fifteenth. Standing five-foot-eight with a 69-inch reach and fighting out of an orthodox stance under the Japan Top Team banner, Asakura averages 2.27 significant strikes landed per minute.
With no injury concerns to manage, Asakura has set an ambitious schedule for the remainder of the year, targeting three fights in total. His stated priorities are clear: he wants his next victory to come by way of knockout, and he is aiming to secure a bout against a ranked opponent rather than working his way up gradually.
Why it matters
- A move to bantamweight could effectively reset Asakura's divisional standing, opening a fresh path toward the rankings at 135 pounds.
- His desire to face a ranked opponent immediately raises the stakes of any matchmaking discussions around his August target.
- The personal context surrounding potential retirement adds urgency to this run, with Asakura treating the bantamweight chapter as a genuine second chance rather than a routine division change.
