Latest news with #KaiKara-France
NZ Herald
29-06-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Kara-France v Pantoja: Live updates from UFC 317 in Las Vegas
Follow the action as Kai Kara-France looks to become the UFC flyweight champion at UFC 317 in Las Vegas. Preview of Kai Kara-France v Alexandre Pantoja A lot can change in nine years. In 2016, then-23-year-old UFC flyweight hopeful Kai Kara-France was eliminated from the promotion's scouting programme The Ultimate Fighter by Brazilian Alexandre Pantoja. An exhibition bout, the pair fought over two competitive five-minute rounds, with Pantoja getting the nod from the judges. On Sunday, the pair will meet in the octagon again – with the biggest prize in the sport on the line as Kara-France sets out to relieve Pantoja of the UFC flyweight championship at UFC 317 in Las Vegas. The bout is the co-main event of the pay-per-view card, which headlines the UFC's annual International Fight Week. As the company takes the opportunity to celebrate mixed martial arts this week, including holding its Hall of Fame ceremony, the card at the end of it is usually stacked with big fights that fans want to see happen. That is the case with Kara-France and Pantoja. Their 2016 meeting was an exhibition bout and does not appear on their professional record, hence it not being referred to as Pantoja v Kara-France II in UFC promotional material. Reflecting on that bout, Kara-France said there was little he could take away from it. 'I had to cut weight every week for that fight. I'm not taking away anything from Pantoja, but I felt drained already before that fight even started so I didn't showcase my skill. 'I was performing at probably 50%, just making flyweight every week. And, bro, I was so young. 'Now I'm 32. There's a lot that's changed and I've just got more to fight for. I've got more purpose; just different stages of my life where [my] priorities are a lot different. I've got a family to feed and a family to provide for. I've got a legacy to cement and follow suit of my teammates Izzy [Adesanya] and Alex [Volkanovski] who both won titles. I've got a belt to win myself and that's the plan.' The fact that Kara-France has more to fight for now than he did back then has not been lost on Pantoja either. The reigning UFC champion, who is on a seven-fight winning streak going back to February 2021 noted as much when addressing this weekend's bout. 'Kai Kara-France is a real good guy, he's super humble, and I said to him he looks more dangerous now that he has a family,' Pantoja said. 'When I fought him the first time, he didn't have a family yet, he didn't have kids. Now, he has a family and that makes him more dangerous. I know that because I have my family to fight [for], I have my family to feed. 'I know when the octagon is locked, Kai Kara-France doesn't fight just for himself anymore. He fights for his family.'
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC 317 video: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France first faceoff
LAS VEGAS – Alexander Pantoja and Kai Kara-France were locked in at their first UFC 317 fight week faceoff following Thursday's pre-fight press conference. Pantoja (29-5 MMA, 13-3 UFC) will attempt to log his fourth consecutive title defense as flyweight champion when he takes on Kara-France (25-11 MMA, 8-4 UFC) in the co-main event o Saturday's card at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+). Advertisement Both men have been respectful in the buildup to the fight, which is a rematch of a 2016 exhibition bout on "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series, and was won by Pantoja via unanimous decision. Nine years later, the pair run it back for the highest stakes in the sport. Check out the video above to see the Pantoja vs. Kara-France staredown from the UFC 317 press conference. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 317 video: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France first faceoff
USA Today
25-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Manel Kape picks Kai Kara-France to beat 'too reckless, too sloppy' Alexandre Pantoja
Manel Kape predicts a new flyweight champion will be crowned at UFC 317. Alexandre Pantoja (29-5 MMA, 13-3 UFC) defends his flyweight title against Kai Kara-France (25-11 MMA, 8-4 UFC) in Saturday's co-main event (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Pantoja has looked nearly unstoppable at 125 pounds, having already notched three title defenses over Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, and most recently a submission of Kai Asakura at UFC 310. But with Kara-France's power, and Pantoja's walk-forward style, Kape (21-7 MMA, 7-3 UFC) thinks the Brazilian will find himself in trouble. "Honestly, I see a potential win from Kai Kara-France," Kape told Inside Fighting. "I'm not going to lie. Pantoja is a great fighter, he's a great champion. I just see his game is getting too reckless, too sloppy, and I see the game of Kai Kara-France more composed. He has some power in his right hand. "I'm not saying he can knock down Pantoja. He has that power, but Pantoja is tough. But, I don't believe Pantoja takes him down, too. Kai Kara-France has been facing better grapplers than Pantoja like (Rogerio) Bontorin, Askar Askarov. So, that's my point. Unfortunately, my odds go to Kai Kara-France. That's my read on the fight." Kape, who's coming off a TKO of Asu Almabayev in the UFC Fight Night 253 headliner in March, has been eager to settle things with Kara-France after the pair have been beefing for almost two years now. Their back-and-forth stems from Kara-France withdrawing from their UFC 293 matchup, and Kape thinks their fight could finally be rebooked after UFC 317. "After this fight, we can run back me and Kai Kara-France," Kape said. "He's been saying a couple of things in interviews. He's getting that confidence because I'm not close to him." Kape was scheduled to compete at UFC 317 against Brandon Royval, but was replaced by Joshua Van after breaking his foot.
USA Today
25-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC 317 free fight: Kai Kara-France TKO's Steve Erceg to earn title shot
Kai Kara-France's knockout power was in full display at UFC 305. Kai Kara-France's last win was a big one. Back at UFC 305 in August, Kara-France stopped former title challenger Steve Erceg. Not only did the New Zealander snap a two-fight losing streak, but he also earned a title shot out of the victory. Kara-France stayed patient, let Erceg chase and pressure him, and when the time came, he knocked down Erceg with a big overhand left and then followed up with ground-and-pound to close out the show. You can watch Kara-France's latest win in the video above. Kara-France (25-11 MMA, 8-4 UFC) returns to the octagon this Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 317, which takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. He takes on champion Alexandre Pantoja (29-5 MMA, 13-3 UFC) in a five-round bout.
NZ Herald
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
UFC 317: The narrative leading to Kai Kara-France's flyweight title shot
Kai Kara-France's tenure in the UFC has been one with a poetic narrative. As the Kiwi flyweight has made his rise into the spotlight, so too has his division which, when Kara-France joined the UFC in 2018, was rumoured to be on the way out with the promotion.
