KAI ASAKURA

Kai Asakura represents Japan while training out of the Japan Top Team facility. An orthodox fighter who relies on aggressive striking, he established himself as a prominent bantamweight by claiming the Rizin Bantamweight Championship twice. Before his transition to the UFC in 2024, he competed against notable adversaries like Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi. Throughout his career, he has secured fifteen victories by way of knockout.

Entering this matchup at UFC 329, the Japanese athlete holds an overall professional mark of 22-6-0. His recent activity shows a mixture of outcomes. After dropping back-to-back contests against Alexandre Pantoja and Tim Elliott, he bounced back by defeating Cameron Smotherman via a knockout strike in May 2026. Prior to those setbacks, he earned consecutive triumphs against Juan Archuleta and Yuki Motoya.