Flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja is gearing up for another title defense, this time against promotional newcomer Kai Asakura at UFC 310 in Las Vegas.
As part of his preparation, Pantoja has surprised fans by teaming up with former UFC flyweight title challenger Kyoji Horiguchi—one of Asakura’s most prominent rivals.
Horiguchi holds a notable victory over Asakura, winning via a first-round knockout in their Rizin bantamweight championship bout in Japan back in 2020. Pantoja is using that experience and knowledge in his attempt to out-strategize Asakura ahead of their Dec. 9 matchup.
Pantoja is coming off a hard-fought unanimous decision win over Australian challenger Steve Erceg at UFC 301 in May. That victory marked his second successful title defense, solidifying his status as the flyweight champion. Now, Pantoja looks to welcome Asakura to the Octagon in the main event at UFC 310.
Asakura, meanwhile, enters the UFC as a former Rizin FF titleholder with an explosive fighting style.
Riding a two-fight win streak, he has recently defeated Yuki Motoya and former Bellator MMA champion Juan Archuleta. The Japanese fighter has expressed confidence going into the fight. In a recent interview, he stated, “If he [Pantoja] stands with me, I promise you there will be a knockout.”
At the UFC 310 “Countdown” feature, Pantoja was seen training with Horiguchi—a fighter who has experienced both victory and defeat against Asakura. In addition to his knockout win, Horiguchi also suffered a loss to Asakura earlier in their competitive rivalry. Pantoja’s decision to learn from Horiguchi could give him a unique advantage over his opponent.
UFC 310 also features an exciting co-main event, as undefeated welterweights Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Garry square off in a five-round title eliminator that could determine the next challenger for the welterweight crown.
Fans are eager to see if Pantoja’s preparation and strategy with Horiguchi will pay off or if Asakura can make a statement in his UFC debut with an upset victory.
UFC 310 takes place on Saturday, Dec. 9, live from Las Vegas, Nevada.
