Does Kai Kara-France Have What It Takes to Dethrone Alexandre Pantoja?
UFC 317: Topuria Vs. Oliveira is shaping up to be a legendary night of fights. UFC 317, which goes down on June 28th, features two massive championship fights. The former Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria will take on former Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship in the main event. The Lightweight Championship fight between Topuria and Oliveira is garnering all the attention from UFC fans and media. Still, the co-main event is not a fight to sleep on. New Zealand native and longtime Flyweight contender Kai Kara-France will fight in his first Undisputed Championship fight when he steps into the Octagon against UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja. So, does Kai Kara France have what it takes to strike Undisputed Championship gold?
Kai Kara France has been a significant name in the UFC Flyweight Division for some years now. Kara-France is a unique case in the Flyweight Division, as he is one of the only fighters in his division with true one-punch power. Kara-France will enter the biggest fight of his life with a record of 25-11 and a UFC record of 8-4. An 8-4 record is not stellar, with Kara-France’s UFC win percentage sitting around 66%. However, context is everything in the UFC, and the four losses on Kara-France’s UFC resume come against some of the best Flyweights in the world. Kai Kara-France is coming off a massive win against former title challenger Steve Erceg, where the Kiwi would win via a first-round knockout.
The Flyweight Championship challenger certainly does not have an easy fight ahead of him. Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja has had his division on lock since he won the championship in 2023. Boasting three Flyweight Championship defenses, Pantoja has secured his Flyweight throne against the likes of Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, and Kai Asakura. As things currently stand in the UFC Flyweight rankings, ‘The Cannibal’ has defeated five out of the top 10 Flyweight contenders. The dominance Pantoja has showcased over his seven-fight win streak is the stuff of legends, so saying Kara-France has a tough fight ahead of him is an understatement.
When predicting a winner for the UFC 317 co-main event, you have to consider the two different styles both fighters bring to the table. Boxing is Kara-France’s bread and butter, and when you have serious power like he does, it’s not hard to realize why. However, Alexandre Pantoja’s chin might just be made out of granite. I believe that Kara-France will need to knock Pantoja out to win the belt, as Pantoja’s strong grappling and jiu-jitsu usually lead to dominant decision victories. Kai Kara-France is without a doubt a talented Flyweight who brings a unique challenge to the champion, but to be the best, you have to beat the best, and Pantoja is as good as it gets. Kai Kara-France has the tools to beat Alexandre Pantoja, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s just another day in the office for the champ.
