Asakura stops Smotherman in 110 seconds to claim first UFC bantamweight win

Kai Asakura ended a difficult run in the UFC with a sharp first-round knockout of Cameron Smotherman at UFC Macau on Saturday, stopping his opponent 1:50 into Round 1 with a right hand followed by a left hook that put Smotherman down for good at bantamweight.

The finish marked Asakura’s first octagon victory after back-to-back submission losses at flyweight — a weight class that never seemed to suit the former RIZIN bantamweight champion. He had signed with the UFC in 2024 and was handed an immediate title shot against Alexandre Pantoja, only to be submitted in the second round. A second flyweight outing ended the same way, this time against veteran Tim Elliott.

Back at 135 pounds — the weight class where he built his reputation — Asakura (22-6) looked far more like the fighter who spent six years dominating RIZIN’s bantamweight division. He pressured Smotherman from the opening bell, working behind his jab while hunting for openings to land power shots. A crushing right hand sent Smotherman retreating to the fence, and Asakura followed immediately with the left hook that ended the contest.

During his RIZIN tenure, Asakura collected wins over Kyoji Horiguchi, Manel Kape, and Juan Archuleta, establishing himself as one of the premier bantamweights outside the UFC. Saturday’s performance suggested that version of Asakura may have made the trip to Macau.

For Smotherman (12-7), the defeat was his third consecutive loss and dropped his UFC record to 1-3, a run that puts his place on the roster in serious doubt.