UFC Fight Night: Aori Qileng vs Kai Asakura Preview & Prediction

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Two bantamweight strikers meet on the main card, Chinese veteran Aori Qileng looks to spoil Kai Asakura’s revival in front of a home crowd. A classic China VS Japan matchup!

Aori Qileng vs Kai Asakura facts

What time are Aori Qileng and Kai Asakura expected to walk out? 29 August 2026 at 12:45 pm

Where is UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs Song? SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai, China

Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs Song? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 286

What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs Song on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount

Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs Song? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass

UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs Song main card

Umar Nurmagomedov vs Song Yadong (Bantamweight)

Yan Xiaonan vs Denise Gomes (Women's Strawweight)

Aori Qileng vs Kai Asakura (Bantamweight)

Su Mudaerji vs Alex Perez (Flyweight)

Liu Ce vs Levi Rodrigues Jr. (Light Heavyweight)

Bilal Hasan vs Nilson Rojas (Flyweight)

UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs Song prelims

Namsrai Batbayar vs Andre Lima (Flyweight)

Rei Tsuruya vs Kevin Borjas (Flyweight)

Jack Jenkins vs Sean Woodson (Featherweight)

Xiao Long vs Francesco Nuzzi (Bantamweight)

Lawrence Lui vs Hector Santiago (Bantamweight)

Xiong Jingnan vs Julia Polastri (Women's Strawweight)

Ding Meng vs Cameron Nelson (Welterweight)

Aori Qileng: “The Mongolian Murderer” needs to stop the slide

Aori Qileng (26-13, 1 NC) is a 40 fight veteran whose UFC tenure has never found consistency, sitting at 4-5-1 with just two wins in his last six. He came off a devastating 21-second KO over Cody Gibson, then ran into Cody Haddon and was dismantled – a beating in the opening round before being stopped in the second. The 33-year-old is light on his feet with accurate fundamental striking and a sharp 1-2 at range, and he switches stances frequently to disguise his entries. He also has a strong get-up game off his back.

Kai Asakura: The former RIZIN king has found his old weight class

Kai Asakura (22-6) needed a change and found it a division up. The former RIZIN bantamweight champion was submitted by Alexandre Pantoja and then Tim Elliott at flyweight before returning to his natural 135 pounds and knocking out Cameron Smotherman in the first round for his first UFC win. 17 of his 22 career wins have come by finish. The RIZIN legend sits far back at range and picks his moments to blitz, carrying his power in his hooks rather than his straights, and his light fast kicks are used to tag rather than hurt.

Aori Qileng vs Kai Asakura prediction

The grappling question is obvious for Asakura but it shouldn’t really come up. Both of his UFC defeats came by submission and the mat is his clear weakness at UFC level, but he has no reason to go there. He mixed in takedowns at RIZIN against softer competition, and a good chunk of the damage he did on the floor came from knees to a downed opponent’s head, which is illegal here in the UFC. Aori Qileng’s get-up game should be redundant in this matchup.

Then there’s the body knee. Asakura times it really well when opponents commit to the straight, and Aori Qileng’s combos come almost exclusively down the middle. Asakura’s last two RIZIN wins came by knee to the body, a KO of Yuki Motoya and another one of Juan Arhuleta. Haddon just folded Aori Qileng with a knee to the midsection against the fence before finishing with punches. Someone has published the blueprint, and the man across the cage already owns the technique to do it.

Asakura is faster, more accurate, more powerful, and fires from angles Qileng doesn’t. Even if Asakura leans more on his boxing, Qileng’s brawling style means he’ll be there to be hit. I see Asakura as a lock despite his inconsistency in the UFC.

Prediction: Kai Asakura to win by KO/TKO in round one