Juan Archuleta vs. Kai Asakura: Preview, Where to Watch and Betting Odds

Juan Archuleta makes his first RIZIN Fighting Federation Bantamweight title defense against former champion Kai Asakura in the co-main event of RIZIN 45 in Saitama, Japan. American Juan Archuleta, a former Bellator Bantamweight champion, won the vacant RIZIN championship earlier this year when he defeated Hiromasa Ougikubo. Archuleta was originally billed to contest the vacant 134-pound strap against Kai Asakura, but the Japanese fighter withdrew due to injury. RIZIN FF concludes the year with RIZIN 45 this weekend at the Saitama Super Arena, with Juan Archuleta a slight favorite to retain his title.

MMA: RIZIN Bantamweight Championship

Venue: Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan

Where to watch: FITE

Date: 31.12.2023. 08.00

The American came from a background of amateur wrestling before transitioning to MMA. The California-born champion fights with a boxing and wrestling style. A purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, “The Spaniard” defeated Patchy Mix in September 2020 to claim the Bellator Bantamweight World Championships. He lost it the following year at his first title defense. The 36-year-old is on a four-fight winning streak and is unbeaten in three fights in RIZIN.

• Age: 36
• Height: 5’ 7”
• Reach: 69”
• Weight: 134 Ibs
• Record: 29-4

Japanese Kai Asakura, a mainstay of the RIZIN Bantamweight division, who joined the promotion in 2017, claimed the vacant 134-pound title in February 2020 when he defeated Hiromasa Ougikubo at RIZIN 23. The 30-year-old, who trained in Karate as a youngster, was introduced to MMA by his brother. His reign was cut short at the first challenge when he lost the title by first-round TKO to Kyoji Horiguchi. A vlogger with over a million subscribers to his YouTube channel, Kai Asakura has a win over top ten UFC fighter Manel Kape on his resume.

• Age: 30
• Height: 5’ 8”
• Reach: 69”
• Weight: 134 Ibs
• Record: 20-3

Juan Archuleta is a 1.76 favorite on Bet365. The underdog is priced at 2.00 odds on Bet365. Betwinner lists the underdog Kai Asakura at 2.11 odds with over 1.5 rounds at 2.67, also on Betwinner. 1XBET prices No to the start of the third round at 2.75 and lists the favorite at 1.735.