LAS VEGAS – Alexandre Pantoja remembers hearing the name Kai Askaura for the first time.
It was 2019, and Pantoja (28-5 MMA, 12-3 UFC) suddenly was interested to learn more. Asakura (21-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) had just knocked out Kyoji Horiguchi, a teammate Pantoja holds in the highest regard.
“I got more attention about him, ‘Who is this guy, who can beat Kyoji because Kyoji is so good?’ I realized I have a very good fighter to fight,” Pantoja told MMA Junkie and other reporters Wednesday.
Fast forward five years later, and Pantoja did a different sort of deep dive in the form of a tape study. Asakura departed RIZIN and entered straight into a title shot vs. Pantoja, which takes place Saturday at UFC 310.
“I’ve started to study him more, and I see he fought Manel Kape,” Pantoja said. “He won one time and lost one time. He fought Ulka Sasaki. I fought with the same guy before. Good coincidence, and I’m so happy for that fight. It makes that like a crossover. It’s opened doors for a lot of good fighters all across the world. You have so many good promotions, but of course, everyone wants the belt in the UFC. I think it’s going to be a good test not just for me but for everyone to see a UFC champ vs. another guy who is a former champion for another promotion.”
Pantoja loves this fight, for a handful of reasons. The biggest might be that it’s a fresh matchup. Had Askaura not entered the fray, Pantoja would’ve likely had to fight Brandon Moreno or Brandon Royval, fighters that he’s already beaten twice, or someone further down in the rankings.
“After my fight with Erceg, I looked at the rankings and tried to figure out who is going to be my next opponent,” Pantoja said. “Kai Asakura, I think that’s a very good movement. That’s the power of the UFC, bringing a champion from another promotion. The guy just left his belt to fight for the UFC, try to fight for the belt. That’s what I think if you want to be the best fighter in the world, that’s what he thinks, you need to win the UFC belt.
“I respect all the promotions, but everybody knows about how big is UFC and if you want to show all the world that you are the best, you need the UFC belt. When they bring the name Asakura, for me, I think it’s a perfect challenge. I’m super excited for that fight. It’s a very exciting fight. It’s someone I never figured out I had the chance to fight. That’s what I want. I want to fight with the best fighters in the world. The UFC just gave me that opportunity.”
Askaura has billed himself as a force the likes of which UFC fans have never seen before. Pantoja pushed back against that assessment. While he sees Asakura as aggressive, Pantoja doesn’t thinking fighting the most exciting way possible and fighting the best way possible align.
“Everybody can see the same thing I watch,” Pantoja said. “He’s a very good striker. He’s got nasty knees and comes forward. He’s like an old time in PRIDE. That fight style is what he has. But in the UFC is different. There are so many good grapplers here. I proved maybe I’m the best one in my division, maybe in the top 10 of UFC grapplers, you know? I think I can take advantage about that. Of course, I’m fighting MMA. I can use my striking. But I’ve also got my grappling, too.
“I win much more fights when I start to fight MMA, not just go there and make it a street fighter, you know. I learned how to win the fights. I learned a lot with my coach and that’s what I’m going to do on Saturday, I’m going to win the fight.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.
