Kai Asakura’s unsuccessful UFC title attempt may pave the way for RIZIN lightweight champion Roberto Satoshi to join the UFC, provided he gets a chance to fight a ranked opponent, despite his current contentment and recognition in RIZIN.
Kai Asakura aimed high in his UFC debut but fell short of clinching the title. Still, his attempt might just pave the way for another RIZIN champ to step into the North American scene by 2025.
RIZIN lightweight champion Roberto Satoshi is gearing up to face Vugar Karamov on December 31st in Saitama, Japan. He once mentioned to MMA Fighting that he had “no desire” to switch to the UFC, citing the extraordinary recognition and earnings he enjoys with RIZIN.
Nobuyuki Sakakibara, RIZIN’s president, was present at cageside during Asakura’s bout against Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight gold at UFC 310. This gave Satoshi hope for a more lucrative deal, considering Sakakibara’s rapport with UFC CEO Dana White.
“I was thrilled for Kai despite his loss,” Satoshi shared in an interview. “He’s a big name in Japan and very popular, which stirred a lot of buzz. It was beneficial for both Japan and the UFC. I’m glad Dana White wants closer ties, potentially opening doors for more RIZIN fighters.”
Asakura’s popularity in Japan is undeniable; he even surpasses UFC star Alex Pereira‘s YouTube numbers. However, Satoshi doesn’t share Asakura’s charismatic persona. He’s all about making statements inside the ring, proven by recent knockouts over Luiz Gustavo and Keita Nakamura.
Satoshi is set to defend his 155-pound title for the fourth time on December 31st. He revealed his conditions for considering a move to the UFC.
“The only way I’d consider joining the UFC is under circumstances similar to Kai’s,” Satoshi explained. “It doesn’t have to be a title fight—especially given the crowded lightweight division—but fighting someone ranked would pique my interest.”
Being 35, Satoshi isn’t keen on starting from scratch. However, if he could bypass some of the queue and face a ranked opponent, he’d be intrigued. While he’s content as RIZIN’s champion, with fame and fortune in Japan, battling a ranked UFC fighter would be another feather in his cap.
In RIZIN, Satoshi boasts 10 wins out of 11 bouts, with nine stoppages—including avenging his sole loss with a first-round armbar against Johnny Case. Yet he’s faced defeats against Bellator stars A.J. McKee Jr. and Patricky Pitbull in Japan.
Satoshi hasn’t delved deep into studying Islam Makhachev‘s fights yet but acknowledges Makhachev’s cardio and strength as formidable assets rather than sheer technique.
Interestingly, Satoshi has a history with former 155-pound champ Charles Oliveira from their jiu-jitsu days in São Paulo. “He was brave,” Satoshi chuckled. “He moved up weight classes just to fight me, and we often clashed twice per tournament because of absolute divisions.”
People tease him about it, but Satoshi claims never to have lost to Oliveira in jiu-jitsu battles—winning six or seven times. [laughs]