Latest news with #Asakura
USA Today
13 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Kai Asakura accepts 'harsh criticism' after UFC 319 loss
Kai Asakura hears the criticism loud and clear, and he's trying to channel it properly. At UFC 319, Asakura (21-6 MMA, 0-2 UFC) was submitted for the second time in as many fights since coming over to the promotion from RIZIN. "I'm truly sorry to everyone who supported me," Asakura wrote Monday on Instagram in Japanese. "Honestly, I'm disappointed in myself. Things don't always go as planned, but I won't give up and will keep working hard to get back on track. "I'll become stronger and prove it with results so that I can someday look back on this loss as a positive experience. I'll accept harsh criticism and come back stronger." Asakura, 31, is one of Japan's biggest combat sports stars but has struggled in the UFC. He debuted in a title fight in December and lost to Alexandre Pantoja by second-round submission. Then on Saturday in Chicago, longtime flyweight staple Tim Elliott upset Asakura, also by second-round submission. Prior to his UFC signing, Asakura held RIZIN gold. Notable wins included Kyoji Horiguchi and Juan Archuleta among others.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Tim Elliott calls for new contract after UFC 319 upset of Kai Asakura
CHICAGO – Tim Elliott met with MMA Junkie and other media members Saturday after his win over Kai Asakura at UFC 319. Elliott (21-14-1 MMA, 10-11 UFC) upset Asakura (21-6 MMA, 0-2 UFC) with a second-round submission to open up the main card at United Center in Chicago. Elliott, a former flyweight title challenger, pulled the upset against the 3-1 favorite. Now Elliott says he's hoping the UFC recognizes his recent run – four wins in five fights, and back-to-back first-round submission wins – and rewards him with a new deal. "This is my favorite thing in the world to do," Elliott said at his post-fight news conference. "… When I can't fight, I feel like my life is not complete. I don't know what the f*ck I'm going to do when I retire because then I'm just going to be a fighting dog with no fight left. I'm not going to retire gracefully from the UFC. They're going to have to tell me, 'You've got to go, man.' I'm going to be here until they make me go." Elliott said he think Asakura, who made his highly anticipated UFC debut in a title fight against champion Alexandre Pantoja, will rebound – but it might take a while. "It sucks for him. He's an ex-champ, but he's going to be fine," Elliott said. "He's still got a lot more fight left in him. He's still a fighter who could be a UFC champion – I have no doubts about him. But he's spent his whole career fighting in a square ring, not an octagon. It's totally different. I couldn't imagine making those adjustments in two fights." Check out Elliott's full post-fight interview in the video above.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Kai Asakura vs. Tim Elliott prediction, pick, start time for UFC 319
Kai Asakura and Tim Elliott meet in the main card opener of UFC 319 at United Center in Chicago. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. Last event: 4-2 UFC main cards, 2025: 80-60-1 Kai Asakura vs. Tim Elliott UFC 319 preview Former Rizin champ Asakura (21-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) enters his second UFC fight. In his debut at UFC 310, Asakura challenged Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight title, but came up short, losing by submission in the second round. His UFC signing came after back-to-back finishes of Yuki Motoya and Juan Archuleta under the Rizin banner. ... Elliott (20-13-1 MMA, 9-11 UFC) will look to stay in the winner's circle in his first fight since December 2023, when he defeated Su Mudaerji by submission in the opening round. Kai Asakura vs. Tim Elliott UFC 319 expert pick, prediction The paid portion of the card kicks off with a solid flyweight matchup between two former title contenders, Tim Elliott and Kai Asakura. It's nice to see the matchmakers not following their usual modus operandi of burying men's flyweight fights on the prelims, so credit where it's due there. Regardless of the outcome of this contest, I hope we can see more of Asakura's game and how it translates to the cage, especially considering how tough his first assignment was in his promotional debut. I'll also be curious to see how Asakura handles a UFC-level southpaw, seeing as how we've seldom seen him against notable lefties prior. Elliott is certainly past his prime on paper, but the American's doggedness and grapple-heavy style remain a stern test for anyone trying to climb the ranks of this division. Even though Elliott's durability could finally give way via a flying knee or something, I still suspect he has enough in the tank to give Asakura a hard three frames of fighting. It's a risky pick, but I'll side with Elliott to survive some scary spots en route to dogging out a competitive decision on the scorecards. Kai Asakura vs. Tim Elliott UFC 319 odds The oddsmakers and the public are heavily favoring the Japanese fighter, listing Asakura -330 and Elliott +265 via FanDuel. Kai Asakura vs. Tim Elliott UFC 319 start time, how to watch As the main card opener, Asakura and Elliott are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 10:10 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Hands down? Kai Asakura promises to knock out Tim Elliott if he does it at UFC 319
CHICAGO – UFC 319 will be Take 2 for Kai Asakura. A former RIZIN star and champion, Askaura (21-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) made the rare move of debuting in a UFC title fight this past December. He was submitted by champion Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 310 in Round 2. Saturday, he makes his return vs. Tim Elliott at United Center. "I wanted to return sooner, but I used this time to improve and deal with my weaknesses," Asakura told MMA Junkie and other reporters through a Japanese-language interpreter at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. "I'm more than ready and I'm here. ... Last match was my first time, so I was not really getting used to how UFC style works. But I have experienced it now. I'm all ready and I'm here to return." Asakura, 31, said the only thing that really caught him off guard in his UFC debut was the fight surface. Japan has a long history of using rings rather than cages, and Asakura said that was noticeable vs. Pantoja. "Nothing really shocking, but I was so used to fighting in the ring," Asakura said. "So I had to adjust myself to the octagon style, the walls and everything else." Elliott (20-13-1 MMA, 10-13 UFC) is a former UFC title challenger, a seasoned veteran and a unique stylistic matchup to prepare for. Asakura, however, is well-acquainted. He issued a warning Wednesday to Elliott, 38, pertaining to his hands-down approach. "I have been watching Tim's fights many times," Asakura said. "I have already analyzed his moves. I am so ready now. ... If he does it to me, he better be careful. I'm just going to KO him and knock him down. ... The only thing I have to do to win here is to show my own strengths and power. That's about it."
Business Insider
24-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
'Self-taught' real estate investors say 3 books helped them go from owning 0 rental units to more than 100
Letizia Alto and Kenji Asakura started buying rental properties in 2015 to free themselves from 80-hour workweeks. The physician couple, who met while working at the same hospital, were essentially starting from scratch. Asakura had dipped his toe into real estate investing in the early 2000s — he was mostly buying and reselling land — and lost money during the 2008 housing market crash, while Alto had never owned property. Their first investments were two duplexes, which they purchased with money they'd earmarked to buy a primary residence. They wouldn't buy a primary home until 2022, but in the interim, they continued expanding their rental portfolio. As of 2025, they own more than 100 units. The rental income has allowed them to step back from the hospital, spend more time with each other and their kids, and build their online community, Semi-Retired MD. "We were self-taught," Asakura told Business Insider. Alto added, "We were reading all the time." The couple, who live in Puerto Rico for about half of the year and spend the other half traveling, shared the three books that helped them scale their real estate business. " Rich Dad Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki The couple read Robert Kiyosaki's personal finance classic, which is particularly popular within the real estate investor community, before buying their first property together. They were on their honeymoon, traveling in a camper van through New Zealand. Without electricity, they passed the nights reading "Rich Dad Poor Dad," and some of the author's core themes resonated. "It was really powerful. We were like: 'Oh, my gosh, this is it: We're employees, we trade our time for money, we're never going to be able to be in Italy for three months at a time because we're always going to have to be working,'" said Alto, whose dream was to spend more time traveling. "The only way it works is if we have another source of income, outside medicine, that can replace part of our salaries so that we can have the freedom to take time off." Shortly after returning from New Zealand, with Kiyosaki's lessons on their mind, they bought their first two duplexes. " How to Use Limited Liability Companies and Limited Partnerships" by Garrett Sutton Books like Garrett Sutton's about LLCs have helped them expand their business knowledge, which has been key to their success. "I think a big differentiator is that we apply a lot of business principles to our rental business," said Asakura. "A lot of people don't think about rental properties as a business — they think about it as providing housing — but ultimately, each property is a mini-business." " The Millionaire Real Estate Investor" by Gary Keller Gary Keller's book explores real estate investing strategies and practical, actionable advice. The couple said they built their cash-on-cash calculator, which helps them ensure a property will generate positive cash flow before closing, based on the one provided in Keller's book. It also gave them the confidence that they could succeed in the real estate investing world. The author incorporates interviews with more than 100 millionaire real estate investors with all sorts of backgrounds. "We could see that people just like us could do it," said Alto, adding that confidence is just as important as executing your investment strategy. "If you don't believe it's possible, then you're always going to look for the reasons it's not going to work, and you're going to be stuck in analysis paralysis for the rest of your life."
