UFC 319 full card final faceoffs: Du Plessis vs. Chimaev
Check out the UFC 319 ceremonial weigh-in faceoffs, where the athletes from the 12-fight card headlined by Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev.
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.
