Asakura KO Prop Tops UFC Shanghai Weekend Lock

Kai Asakura to win by knockout or technical knockout is the betting lock for UFC Shanghai this Saturday.

MMA Mania's Alexander Behunin zeroed in on the Asakura-Aoriqileng bout as the strongest play on the card, per the site's weekly Weekend Lock series. The Japanese striker opened at minus-185 to finish the Chinese fighter inside the distance at Shanghai Indoor Stadium.

Why Asakura's Power Play Works At Bantamweight

Asakura looked sharp in his last outing, stopping Cameron Smotherman in May after a rough start to his UFC run. The former RIZIN champion is back at bantamweight, where he no longer drains down to flyweight, and that weight advantage should restore the knockout power that made him dangerous in Japan. Aoriqileng has been stopped twice in the UFC already, including a recent technical knockout loss, and his willingness to trade in the pocket plays into Asakura's hands.

"He's ultra-aggressive, attacks from strange angles and possesses legitimate knockout power in both hands," Behunin wrote. The Mongolian fighter carries respectable power himself and will feed off the home crowd, but he lacks Asakura's technical sharpness and unpredictability on the feet.

The risk is that Asakura's aggression leaves openings — he takes chances, and Aoriqileng has enough pop to capitalise if the Japanese striker gets reckless. The Shanghai judges could also factor in if the bout somehow reaches the scorecards. Behunin does not expect it to last that long.

UFC Shanghai goes down Saturday night with bantamweight contenders Umar Nurmagomedov and Song Yadong in the main event. Asakura-Aoriqileng anchors the featured prelim slot.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Here’s MMAmania.com’s UFC Shanghai betting odds ‘Weekend Lock’ … what’s yours?