Tim Elliott may be 38 years old, but don't count him out yet. That was the statement made in his victory over Kai Asakura that kicked off the main card at UFC 319.
Elliott seemed to struggle with the footwork of Asakura during the opening frame. That led to Asakura being able to connect on several powerful punches during the round, including a strong one-two in the opening seconds. Asakura was in control and kept the fight standing for about four minutes, but Elliott scored a takedown in the round's final minute, getting right into side control and landing a few knees to the body.
Elliott managed to get the fight to the ground during the second round again. This time, however, Elliott completed work over Asakura from top position, eventually making his way to a guillotine choke, scoring the submission with about 20 seconds left in the second round.
Tim Elliott Scores Second-Round Submission At UFC 319
This was Elliott's first fight since December 2023, when he scored a submission of Su Mudaerji.
Asakura, the former RIZIN champion, made his UFC debut at UFC 310, falling short in a title shot against Alexandre Pantoja.