UFC flyweight Kai Kara-France 'starving' for championship ahead of Pantoja fight
Kai Kara France after defeating Raulian Paiva at UFC 234 at Rod Laver Arena Melbourne in 2019.
Photo:
Brendon Ratnayake / www.photosport.nz
Kai Kara-France has been sharpening his tools for almost two decades, and now says it is finally time to carve his name into history.
The kiwi will fight
Brazilian champion Alexandre Pantoja
for flyweight gold at UFC 317 on June 29.
"It's time to eat and I'm hungry. I'm starving. 15 years I've prepared me for this and it's a different mode I'm feeding off. I've got to attack this and go and take it from the guy."
With 13 knockouts in a division that rarely sees them, Kara-France is hunting number 14 - and the belt that comes with it.
"I've been a professional 15 years now fighting, 15 years to prepare for this," Kara-France said.
The 32-year-old said the name standing across from him was irrelevant.
"Every time I step in there, it's me against myself. I don't really look at my opponent in much detail. My coaches and my team do that. I just focus on what I can control, bringing my best mentally, physically, and spiritually. I've figured that out in the fight game. It's usually who can do that is who gets their hand raised."
He said he knew he possessed a weapon which could end the fight in an instant.
"Something I've got in my back pocket is 13 knockouts in the flyweight division where there's not many knockouts. Pantoja's never been finished in the UFC, never been knocked out. I want to be the first one to do it. I know he's going to bring it to me, but I've got that in my back pocket waiting for him, ready to land that shot."
It's been a rough road to a second title shot for Kara-France, who has recently battled the effects of multiple concussions throughout his career, sidelining him for 14 months.
"All these things you have to go through to gain experience and knowledge, but it was being honest with yourself, knowing where you truly are at and not thinking you're invincible."
He said his journey has simply hardened his resolve.
Kai Kara-France at UFC 234 media call at City Kickboxing.
Photo:
ALAN_LEE
"I haven't had an undefeated record, I've built my way up. I've had to fight for it. When you've tasted it, all the wins, the losses, the speed bumps, when you get in there, you're unshakeable because you've tasted it all."
Kara-France (25-11-1), is 1-2 in his last three trips to the octagon, however his most recent appearance was an emphatic TKO of Australian contender Steve Erceg in August of last year.
His first shot at gold ended abruptly when Brandon Moreno connected with a picture perfect liver kick at UFC 277 in July 2022.
"Before that it was probably my best round. I cut him. His face was all bloodied and bruised, but he's a tough guy. He's a fighter and he did well to capitalise on that moment, getting underneath my elbow and took my breath away. But it just showed that I'm right there with the best guys and how close this division is. Anyone could be anyone."
The flyweight title fight will co-main event the card, with the lightweight also on the line between Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria.
"Don't count me out. I've had injuries and had setbacks, I'm still one of the best guys. And the UFC rewarded me with a co-main event on the biggest card of the year."
Pantoja (29-5) will be looking for a fourth consecutive defence, having taken the title from Moreno before seeing off challenges from Brandon Royval, Erceg and Kai Asakura.
This won't be the first clash between Kara-France and Pantoja, the pair meeting in a two round exhibition bout on The Ultimate Fighter in 2016, the Kiwi on the end of a unanimous decision loss.
France winning fight via knock out on the UFC series "The Ultimate Fighter".
Photo:
Facebook - Kai Kara France
"A lot's happened since nine years. He's obviously become a world champion. I've progressed in my career, I've found my feet where I'm knocking guys out and living up to my nickname."
Nine years later, the rematch takes place on one of the biggest cards of 2025.
"It's a cool storyline. I get to run this back. We have shared the octagon and I felt his power, felt his world-class jujitsu and I did well in that fight to scramble and get back to my feet. Standup was quite equal, but it's all different now. I think I've refined my skillset to know that I can take out most guys."
Kara-France said he had nothing but respect for Pantoja.
"We have shared cards before and it's nothing personal. He is a family man and I respect that he's been a great champion, but this fight's bigger than me."
However, while he may respect him, 'Don't Blink' intends to be ruthless once the cage door closes.
"I'm going out there to attack this and just I'm ready for a fight. I know Pantoja is going to be tough and come forward, but I feel like that's what's going to make him vulnerable and it's going to leave openings where I can find that shot. So 13 knockouts on my record, about to be 14."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero
,
a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
2 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Golf: Steven Alker leads major championship; Dame Lydia Ko, Ryan Fox climb leaderboards
Steven Alker has made a strong start in his bid for a 10th win on the PGA Tour Champions. The Kiwi sits in a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard of the tour's third major championship of the year, the Kaulig Companies Championship, in Ohio. Alker backed
RNZ News
11 hours ago
- RNZ News
Super Netball goes global in deal with Whoopi Goldberg's AWSN
Sunshine Coast Lightning celebrate with coach Noeline Taurua after winning the 2018 final Photo: DCimages | Daniel Carson Australia's Super Netball league will be broadcast to more than 65 countries over the next three years after Netball Australia struck a deal with Whoopi Goldberg's All Women's Sports Network (AWSN). Netball, one of a few sports created exclusively for women and girls, is the most popular participation sport for females in Australia with Netball Australia estimating there are up to a million players across the country. \Grace Nweke of the Swifts warms up ahead of the round two Super Netball match between NSW Swifts and Melbourne Mavericks at Ken Rosewall Arena on 12 April 12, 2025 in Sydney. Photo: Jason McCawley / Getty Images The professional Super Netball league, which was launched in 2017, has eight teams and 41 of its games, including the playoffs and finals, will now be broadcast on AWSN. "This breakthrough deal puts netball on screens across the globe and cements our place at the forefront of women's sport," Netball Australia chief executive Stacey West said in a statement. "AWSN shares our vision of taking women's sport to new heights. Together, we're creating a platform for our athletes and game to shine like never before." Co-founded by Oscar-winning actor and comedian Goldberg, AWSN was launched late last year as the first global media channel dedicated exclusively to showcasing women's sports. "I am so proud to be thanking you for joining us on AWSN," Goldberg said in a video message to Super Netball released by Netball Australia. "I see that your fans are really loving you, so we want to make sure that we put you everywhere in the world so that everybody knows about you." - Reuters
Otago Daily Times
17 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Adventures to unfold on big screen
Some of the best adventure films from across the globe will be shown in Queenstown next week. The annual NZ Mountain Film Festival, now in its 23rd year, this year received a record 294 entries — the final lineup features 64 award-winning and finalist films, including 18 by Kiwi film-makers. Being held at the Queenstown Memorial Centre next Thursday and Friday, the films will also be available to watch online from July 1 to 31. The Thursday session here, from 7pm, starts with a 'social session' before a conversation with Beth Rodden, regarded as one of the greatest rock climbers of all time, who's recently published a memoir, A Light Through the Cracks, from 7.30pm. Four films will then be shown including Trango, directed by Leo Hoorn (US), the grand prize winner this year. The film follows a team of ski mountaineers, including previous NZ Mountain Film Fest guest speaker Christina Lustenberg, of the US, who skied the first descent of the Great Trango Glacier in Pakistan, after a two-year attempt. Navigating risk, grappling with grief and facing physical danger, the team pushes the limits of human experiences, facing the unimaginable together. Other films on Thursday night are Body of a Line (Henna Taylor, US), solo award winner Far Enough (Julien Carot, France), and Alone Across Gola (Jude Kriwald, UK), the best film on adventurous sports and lifestyle. Another seven films will screen during Friday's 'Pure NZ' session, between 3pm and 6pm. They include the community spirit award-winner, Spirit of the West (Pedro Pimentel), which is set against New Zealand's West Coast and captures the spirit of the Old Ghost Ultra, All In or Nothing, directed by Gordon Duff, which won the best documentary award, and follows young athlete Matthew Fairbrother who's up against 120 riders with full support crews as he attempts to win the overall title at the NZ MTB Rally, on his own, and Waiatoto (Josh Morgan and Jasper Gibson), winner of the Hiddleston/MacQueen Award for best NZ-made film. It tells the story of a traverse across the Southern Alps through packraft, skis and tramping. Starting at the Matukituki, Gibson, Nick Pascoe and Charlie Murray travelled via Tititea, the Volta Glacier and the Waiatoto to the Tasman Sea. "We didn't set out to make a film," Pascoe says, "the focus was on a creative adventure through an incredible corner of the country, simply for the sake of it." Rounding out this year's festival is Friday night's 'Snow Show', from 7pm, which includes best snow sports film Painting the Mountains (Pierre Cadot, France), set in El Chalten, a remote Patagonian village beneath Fitz Roy, where three French skiers arrive to pioneer new lines. Tickets to Thursday's session cost $30 ($5 youth discount) and $25 for each of Friday's sessions, with youth discounts. For more info, or to buy tickets, see
