Kai Asakura says he feels excellent at bantamweight and wants to return to action in August at the Shanghai card. After two consecutive losses, Asakura admitted he seriously considered retirement if he had lost again, feeling he would have been cut from the UFC with nowhere else to go. The Japanese fighter believes he performs better at 135 pounds, retaining more muscle mass, power, and speed compared to flyweight. He is targeting a knockout victory in his next fight against a ranked opponent.
Kai Asakura has set his sights on an August return at the UFC's Shanghai card, with the Japanese bantamweight expressing confidence after making his debut at 135 pounds.
Asakura, 32, enters this next chapter of his career having endured back-to-back losses, a run that pushed him to the brink of walking away from the sport entirely. He admitted that another defeat would likely have ended his UFC tenure, leaving him with no viable path forward, and that the prospect of retirement weighed heavily on him heading into his bantamweight debut. The move up in weight appears to have reinvigorated him, with the fighter stating he feels stronger, faster, and better preserved at 135 pounds than he did competing at flyweight.
The Japan Top Team representative carries a professional record of 21 wins and 6 losses, standing five-foot-eight with a 69-inch reach. He has been ranked as high as No. 15 in the flyweight division. His UFC striking output has averaged 2.27 significant strikes per minute, though his accuracy has sat at 32 percent, suggesting he will need sharper output if he intends to finish a ranked bantamweight opponent.
Why it matters
- Asakura is targeting a knockout win against a ranked opponent, meaning a successful August return could push him immediately into the bantamweight rankings picture.
- His move from flyweight to bantamweight adds competitive depth to the 135-pound division ahead of the Shanghai event.
- A third consecutive loss would have likely ended his UFC run by his own admission, giving this stretch of his career significant personal and professional stakes.
Asakura has made clear that he believes bantamweight is where he belongs, and the Shanghai card in August represents the opportunity he has been building toward since making the switch.
