Alexandre Pantoja could not have seen his latest would-be successor on the horizon.
“The Cannibal” will defend his undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight title against organizational newcomer Kai Asakura in the UFC 310 headliner this Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Pantoja enters the Octagon on the strength of a six-fight winning streak. He last saw action at UFC 301, where he laid claim to a five-round unanimous decision over Steve Erceg on May 4. Asakura, meanwhile, has rattled off five victories across his past six outings.