Bantamweight

Kai Asakura

22-6

Age
32
Height
5'8"
Reach
5'9"
Stance
Orthodox
Camp
Japan Top Team
Out of
Japan
Style
striker
Fight IQ
C · 53
Finish rate
14%
Win rate
79%

Career methods

KO/TKO
2
Sub
3
Dec
17

FightMetric

SLpM

2.53

SApM

2.95

Str Acc

46%

Str Def

52%

TD Avg

0.00

TD Acc

0%

TD Def

50%

Sub Avg

0.00

Tape read

Pocket striker — suspect hips against the shot

Fight IQ

53C

Built from FightMetric rates, method shares, and 6 loaded UFC rows. Timing and agility are tape proxies, not lab measurements.

IQ

C

Ground

D

Defense

C

Counter

D

Reaction

proxy

D

Agility

proxy

D

TD react

D

Chin

B+

What they do well

  • Durability

    Gets through fire. Rarely finished by strikes; the later minutes are still theirs to win.

Where they leak

  • Ground game

    Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain.

  • Takedown reaction

    A takedown magnet. Low TD defense plus submission losses — this is the hole a grappler builds a camp around.

  • Counter punching

    Limited counter threat. Opponents can miss without paying a finishing tax.

Scouting report

Kai Asakura is a 32-year-old Orthodox bantamweight out of Japan, camped at Japan Top Team. The tape read: pocket striker — suspect hips against the shot. Career mark 22-6-0 — 2 by KO/TKO, 3 by submission, 17 by decision. Fight IQ grades C (53).

What works. Durability is the standout at 83 (B+). Gets through fire. Rarely finished by strikes; the later minutes are still theirs to win. Ground game D on 0.00 TD/15 and 0.00 sub attempts. Striking defense C at 52% / 2.95 SApM. Counter punching D; punching agility D (output × accuracy × age curve). Takedown reaction D on 50% TD defense. These are tape proxies — not lab reaction times — built from FightMetric rates, finish shares, and 6 loaded UFC rows.

Where it breaks. Ground game is the soft spot (15, D). Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain. Opponents who force wrestling and keep the fight on the fence have historically been the ones who make this résumé leak. Losses lean decision more often than a highlight — the issue is usually control of minutes, not a glass jaw.

Recent tape (6 bouts): W 5144320 (KO/TKO R1) · L Elliott (Submission R2) · L Pantoja (Submission R2) · W 3152203 (KO/TKO R2) · W 3164799 (KO/TKO R3). Form index positive over the last 5. 1 of those wins reached the championship minutes — cardio and late IQ are real.

Ground game

15 D

Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain.

  • 0.00 takedowns / 15 at 0% accuracy
  • 0.00 submission attempts / 15 · 3 career sub wins

Striking defense

56 C

Eats more than a championship pocket should. High SApM or a porous guard will get taxed against power.

  • 52% striking defense · 2.95 SApM
  • 0 KO/TKO losses in 6 defeats

Counter punching

30 D

Limited counter threat. Opponents can miss without paying a finishing tax.

  • 46% accuracy on 2.53 SLpM
  • 0.00 knockdowns / 15 · 2 KO/TKO wins

Timing & reaction

42 D

Late on the read. High absorb or a leaking TD defense suggests the first move often belongs to the opponent.

  • Str def 52% · TD def 50% — the two read-and-react rates
  • 2.95 shots absorbed / min (lower = sees it earlier)

Punching agility

39 D

Heavy or economical. Combinations are chosen, not sprayed — opponents can time the entries.

  • 2.53 SLpM at 46% — output with cleanliness
  • Throws without paying full retail: 2.95 SApM

Takedown reaction

18 D

A takedown magnet. Low TD defense plus submission losses — this is the hole a grappler builds a camp around.

  • 50% takedown defense — the live reaction to level changes
  • 2 submission losses (once the fight hits the mat)

Durability

83 B+

Gets through fire. Rarely finished by strikes; the later minutes are still theirs to win.

  • 0 times finished by strikes in 6 losses
  • 17 decision wins — proof they last and still score

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Fight history

DateOpponentResMethodRndSig
May 30, 2026Fighter 5144320WKO/TKO1 1:509/21
Aug 17, 2025Tim ElliottLSubmission2 4:3921/87
Dec 8, 2024Alexandre PantojaLSubmission2 2:0517/29
Dec 31, 2023Fighter 3152203WKO/TKO2 3:200/0
May 6, 2023Fighter 3164799WKO/TKO3 2:250/0
Dec 31, 2021Fighter 2609411LDecision - Unanimous3 5:000/0