It is safe to say that UFC 319 did not go to plan for this former title challenger, who entered as the card’s biggest favorite.
There were plenty of impressive performances in Chicago this past Saturday night, as the UFC 319 pay-per-view went down from the United Center and marked the promotion’s first event in the city since before the pandemic.
Khamzat Chimaev’s dominant win over Dricus du Plessis stole the headlines, but when it came to finishes, it was the undercard that delivered in spades.
Unsurprisingly, a pair of consecutive spinning back elbow knockouts emerged as the main talking point, somewhat overshadowing the work of a 38-year-old underdog who delivered the biggest upset of the night.
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Kai Asakura breaks silence on UFC 319 loss that left him 0-2 in the Octagon
The UFC 319 main card opened with a flyweight clash, as former Rizin champion Kai Asakura made his second walk to the Octagon to face off against Tim Elliott.
After Asakura was choked out by Alexandre Pantoja in his immediate title shot on debut last December, the Japanese star was looking to begin his path back to the 125-pound gold by notching a first UFC win that many were expecting for him on August 16.
Against the odds, though, Elliott found a choke of his own against Asakura, which was tight enough to force a tap late into the second round and shockingly send the newcomer to an 0-2 UFC slate.
The result has left many writing off Asakura’s chances of finding success on MMA’s biggest stage. While such opinions may be a “harsh” assessment, the 31-year-old welcomed them in an apologetic first statement post-UFC 319.
“To everyone who supported me, I’m truly sorry,” Asakura wrote on X. “Honestly, I’m disappointed in myself.
“Things often don’t go as planned, but I’ll keep crawling forward with grit, never giving up. I’ll make sure this loss becomes something I can one day look back on as valuable experience, proving it with results by growing stronger.
“I’ll take the harsh opinions in stride, grow, and come back better,” he concluded.
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UFC 319 was a difficult night for prominent newcomers
Asakura was not the only new UFC face who endured a devastating setback in Chicago.
While the Japanese star fell short in his second appearance inside the Octagon, UFC 319 marked the arrival of Aaron Pico, an ex-Bellator standout who was looking to make an immediate impact.
He was thrown straight into the deep end against the undefeated Lerone Murphy, who turned out to be a hurdle too tall for the American debutant.
Murphy brutally knocked Pico out at UFC 319 with a spinning back elbow in round one. The move instantly slept the 28-year-old and caused a concerning scene, as he lay unconscious for a considerable period of time.