Kai Asakura to Make Historic UFC Debut Against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 310

Kai Asakura, the two-time RIZIN bantamweight champion, is set to make his highly anticipated UFC debut in a historic fashion. Asakura will face current UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja in the main event of UFC 310, scheduled for December 7, 2024, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

This bout comes after the original main event was altered due to the withdrawal of Belal Muhammad, who was slated to face Shavkat Rakhmonov. Asakura, known for his impressive record in the RIZIN Fighting Federation, will be one of the rare fighters to receive an immediate title shot in his UFC debut.

Asakura, who holds a 21-4 professional record, will move down a weight class to compete at 125 pounds against Pantoja. Pantoja, 34, is on a six-fight win streak in the UFC, including three title-fight wins, and boasts a 28-5 record since turning professional in MMA.

The co-main event will feature Shavkat Rakhmonov, who was originally set to face Muhammad, now paired against Ian Machado Garry in a welterweight number one contender’s match. This change has significant implications for the welterweight division, as Rakhmonov was one of the top contenders for the title.

UFC 310 promises to be an exciting event with several other notable matchups, including Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov, Vicente Luque vs. Nick Diaz, and Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling, among others.