UFC Shanghai: Kai Asakura Aims for Second Win in New Weight Class
Listen to the story
Kai Asakura is a fighter in the UFC. The UFC is a big sports group for mixed martial arts.
Asakura will fight in Shanghai on August 29. This is his fourth fight in the UFC.
Asakura changed his weight class. Now he fights in bantamweight. He said this class feels like his best.
In his last fight, Asakura won for the first time in the UFC. Now he wants to win again.
Before the fight, there was a face-off. His opponent tried to make him angry. But Asakura did not move. He gave a small, confident smile instead.
Asakura said he wants a KO win tomorrow. A KO means the fighter wins by knocking out the other person.
Another Japanese fighter, Rei Tsuruya, will also fight at the same event.
This is an away fight for Asakura, because it is not in Japan.
Vocabulary10 words
- UFC
- a very big company for fighting sports
- mixed martial arts
- a sport where fighters use many fighting styles together
- weight class
- a group for fighters with a similar body weight
- bantamweight
- a weight class for smaller, lighter fighters
- face-off
- when two fighters stand very close and look at each other before a fight
- KO
- short for knockout; when a fighter cannot continue and loses fast
- away fight
- a fight in another country, not your home country
- opponent
- the other fighter you fight against
- confident
- feeling sure and strong about yourself
- event
- a big planned happening, like a sports show
Quiz
Answer key
1. Shanghai 2. He smiled and did not move 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Kai Asakura is a fighter in the _____. The UFC is a big sports group for mixed martial arts.
Asakura will fight in Shanghai on _____. This is his fourth fight in the UFC.
Asakura changed his weight class. Now he fights in _____. He said this class feels like his best.
In his last fight, Asakura won for the _____ time in the UFC. Now he wants to win again.
Before the fight, there was a face-off. His opponent tried to make him _____. But Asakura did not move.
Asakura said he wants a _____ win tomorrow.
Another Japanese fighter, _____, will also fight at the same event.
This is an away fight for Asakura, because it is not in _____.