Japanese star Kai Asakura channels inner Donald Trump at UFC 310 press conference

Kai Asakura, the former RIZIN bantamweight champion, quoted Donald Trump's infamous one-liner ahead of his UFC debut at UFC 310.


Japanese star Kai Asakura channels inner Donald Trump at UFC 310 press conference

Kai Asakura recited Donald Trump's infamous dialogue before UFC 310 (Image via UFC/X)

Japanese MMA fighter and former RIZIN bantamweight champion Kai Asakura is set to make his UFC debut this weekend. He is set to fight for the flyweight championship against the title holder Alexandre Pantoja. However, ahead of that, Asakura made an interesting promise at his first press conference and included one of Donald Trump’s infamous slogan.

Donald Trump, known for his outspoken nature and impactful speeches during election rallies and public gatherings, has made a significant mark on American politics. Recently, Kai Asakura, who is new to the country, surprised everyone by reciting one of the newly elected president‘s infamous speech lines: Make America great again. However, Asakura put a twist on the words, adapting them to fit his division.

I’m here to make the UFC flyweight division great again.

Kai Asakura via UFC 310 Pre-fight press conference
YouTube video

Over the years, Trump has made a significant impact on many individuals within the UFC community with his personality. Consequently, UFC CEO Dana White and several UFC fighters openly endorse the newly elected president.

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Most recently, Trump made an appearance at the UFC 309 fight night. Interestingly, Asakura, as a newcomer, may have been aware of Trump’s influence within the UFC community. As a result, he might have aimed to sway the UFC fans in his favor.

Asakura’s upcoming opponent, Alexandre Pantoja, has been a part of the UFC since 2017. Over the years, the Brazilian fighter has built a remarkable reputation with his exceptional performances. Most recently, he convincingly defeated Steve Erceg. Now, he faces a former RIZIN champion, who is quite confident in his abilities.

Kai Asakura believes UFC flyweight division needs a change

The UFC flyweight division has often faced intense scrutiny for its fighters’ lackluster performances. Champions like Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Moreno have been the primary targets of this criticism. However, the introduction of Kai Asakura to the division has generated excitement, largely due to his impressive knockout record in RIZIN.

Kai Asakura and Alexandre Pantoja face-off
Kai Asakura and Alexandre Pantoja face-off (Image via MMA Fighting)

Asakura has an impressive professional MMA record of 21 wins and 4 losses. What’s even more interesting is the Japanese fighter’s ability to brutally knock out his opponents. Throughout his MMA career, Asakura has won 62% of his fights by KO/TKO. With this exceptional skill set, the former RIZIN bantamweight champion believes he can change the dynamics of the UFC flyweight division.

Forward in the future, there needs to be a change and there needs to be a new king in town… that’s why I’m here. To take over the flyweight division…

Kai Asakura via UFC 310 media day interview
YouTube video

As of now, both Asakura and Pantoja appear to be exchanging insults. The Japanese fighter, in particular, expressed confidence in his ability to defeat the UFC flyweight champion. Recently, Asakura even issued a threatening warning to Pantoja. This back-and-forth has certainly generated excitement around their upcoming matchup.