UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja will defend his belt against unranked Kai Asakura in the main event at UFC 310. The five-round title fight will occur on Saturday, December 7, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pantoja (28-5-0) is riding a six-fight win streak and successfully retained his belt with a unanimous decision over Steve Erceg in May. The reigning 125-pound champion defeated Brandon Royval in his first title defense at UFC 296 last year after winning the flyweight title with a split decision win over Brandon Moreno at UFC 290.
Asakura (0-0-0) steps into the Octagon for the first time after posting a 21-4 card overseas with 13 knockouts. The Japanese phenom floored Juan Archuleta in the second round to win the vacant Rizin Bantamweight Championship last year on New Year's Eve.
In the co-main event, #3-ranked Shavkat Rakhmonov (18-0-0) and #7-ranked Ian Machado Garry (15-0-0) will meet in an interesting welterweight matchup.
Pantoja (-250) is the favorite to retain his flyweight title against Asakura (+200), per BetMGM sportsbook, one of the best NY betting sites for those looking to place their bets. The challenger is a talented fighter with the ability to end the contest with one punch. However, the champion is tied for the second most submissions in UFC Flyweight division history while ranking third all-time in most significant strikes.
Pantoja is a well-rounded fighter who is comfortable delivering strikes as well as fighting on the mat. The Brazilian has ended 29% of his fights with knockouts, and 36% each via submission or decision.
The 34-year-old utilizes a combination of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and accurate strikes to keep opponents off-balance. Pantoja lands 4.41 significant strikes per minute with an impressive 49% striking accuracy.
The "Cannibal" is an elite grappler and averages 2.61 takedowns per 15 minutes with an accuracy rate of 47%. The champion also thwarts takedown attempts at a 68% clip.
Asakura possesses a high ring IQ and impressive striking skills. The Asian fighter has won 13 of his 21 career wins via knockout, including 12 in the opening round.
The former Rizin titleholder has a wide array of techniques, including effective armbars, rear-naked choke holds, dangerous soccer kicks, and lethal knee strikes. Asakura is also adept at transitioning between wrestling or striking, which often keeps opponents guessing.
The 31-year-old recently sent an alarming prediction to the champion during a hype trailer released by the company to promote UFC 310.
"Since I started fighting, I always wanted to be the best in the world
"My advantage over Pantoja is that I can end the fight with one shot – if he makes even one mistake, the fight could be over. For UFC fans who are watching me fight for the first time, don't blink! I plan on winning with a spectacular knockout."
Betting Pick: Pantoja
Betting odds for this heavyweight title fight are live on popular sportsbooks, including BetMGM, which has the champion as the favorite. Popular UFC sportsbooks like these offer odds and promotions that cater to those interested in the sport. The most common bet type for this UFC fight is the moneyline, a wager on who will win the fight outright.
Considering how Asakura will be making his Octagon debut, Pantoja should be able to successfully retain his title. However, the Japanese challenger has knockout power and broke the jaw of Ulka Sasaki in two places five years ago with a devastating combination. Pantoja is our pick to win the fight and a $100 wager on the reigning champion at odds of -250 would net a total payout of $140.
If you fancy the upset and think the title will be changing hands, a $100 wager on Asakura at odds of +200 would net a total payout of $300.
The Over/Under bet is another popular type, where you wager on the number of rounds the fight will last. Given that all three of the champion's previous title fights have gone the distance, we do not expect the fight to end in the early rounds. Thus, betting Over 3.5 rounds could be a winning pick.
The five-round flyweight championship fight will take place on Saturday, December 7, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. UFC fans in the Big Apple can watch the fight live on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja is the favorite to retain his belt against former Rizin champion Kai Asakura at UFC 310. Pantoja is a -250 betting favorite, while Asakura is a +200 underdog, per BetMGM.
The co-main event features an intriguing welterweight battle pitting #3-ranked Shavkat Rakhmonov (18-0-0) opposite #7-ranked Ian Machado Garry (15-0-0). Other matchups include an exciting heavyweight clash with #2-ranked Ciryl Gane (12-2-0) butting heads against #3-ranked Alexander Volkov (38-10-0), a featherweight encounter with #13-ranked Bryce Mitchell (16-3-0) squaring off against Kron Gracie (5-2-0), and a featherweight contest spotlighting Nate Landwehr (18-5-0) and Dooho Choi (15-4-1).
Bets can be placed during the fight as it is happening with live UFC odds that are constantly changing based on what's happening in real-time inside the Octagon. The most popular types of in-play bettings are moneyline wagers representing the odds for who will win the fight outright. Other live betting types include the method of victory and how long the fight will last.
Mixed martial arts fans can place various bets on this UFC flyweight championship fight at BetMGM, a well-known and popular sportsbook in New York.
