The final UFC Pay-Per-View of the year is finally honing into view; a stacked card headlined by a must-watch title fight between champion Alexandre Pantoja and a promotional newcomer who could be our next global superstar.
31-year-old Kai Asakura enters the UFC as the former RIZIN bantamweight champion, and you better believe that the Japanese phenom will be looking for a “spectacular knockout” when he steps into the cage against ‘The Cannibal’ on December 7.
‘Shredded’ Kai Asakura is ready to claim UFC gold in his promotional debut
During the broadcast of UFC Macau this past weekend, the promotion released its latest hype trailer for the final PPV of the year; with Kai Asakura sending an ominous message to his opponent, Alexandre Pantoja.
“Since I started fighting, I always wanted to be the best in the world [and] to me, it would all be meaningless unless I reached the very top.
“I’m here to become UFC champion, I have a stronger will than anybody else. I know how to achieve my goals and that’s all I’m focused on.”
Asakura has 13 career wins by knockout and certainly has the power to finish Pantoja, having famously broken the jaw of Ulka Sasaki in not one, but two places with a vicious combination back in 2019.
“My advantage over Pantoja is that I can end the fight with one shot – if he makes even one mistake, the fight could be over… For UFC fans who are watching me fight for the first time, don’t blink! I plan on winning with a spectacular knockout.”
The 21-4 Japanese star looks to be in amazing shape ahead of his UFC debut, showing off an insanely ripped physique last week, teasing that he’s “I’m here to make UFC flyweight division very exciting.
“I’ll put on a show [for the fans], see you soon!”
If you needed any more convincing of Asakura’s ability to make good on his promise of a “spectacular knockout,” just take a look at some of his career highlights from RIZIN.
UFC 310: The final PPV of the year is stacked from top to bottom
The final PPV of 2024, UFC 310 in December, is a fantastic way to end the year, with multiple former world champions littered throughout the card.
As of November 25, and after a quick welterweight re-shuffle with Tampa, the full UFC 310 card currently looks like this.
- Alexandre Pantoja vs Kai Asakura – Flyweight
- Shavkat Rakhmonov vs Ian Machado Garry – Welterweight
- Ciryl Gane vs Alexander Volkov – Heavyweight
- Bryce Mitchell vs Kron Gracie – Featherweight
- Nate Landwehr vs Dooho Choi – Featherweight
- Dominick Reyes vs Anthony Smith – Light heavyweight
- Vicente Luque vs Themba Gorimbo – Welterweight
- Randy Brown vs Bryan Battle – Welterweight
- Mosvar Evloev vs Aljamain Sterling – Featherweight
- Chris Weidman vs Eryk Anders – Catchweight
- Michael Chiesa vs Max Griffin – Welterweight
- Clay Guida vs Chase Hooper – Lightweight
- Cody Durden vs Joshua Van – Flyweight
- Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Lukasz Brzeski – Heavyweight
The event was originally set to include Nick Diaz’s return to action, which was canceled shortly after a concerning video of the UFC icon went viral on social media.
UFC 310: Pantoja vs Asakura goes down live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, December 7.
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