Residing as much as his ‘Don’t Blink’ moniker in essentially the most violent of how, New Zealand’s personal Kai Kara-France earned one of many largest wins of his UFC profession final evening as he knocked out former title challenger Steve Erceg in Australia.
Nonetheless solely 31 years of age, there’s loads of time for Kai Kara-France to make his mark on the championship historical past of the UFC flyweight division as ‘Don’t Blink’ now eyes a long-awaited title combat to spherical out 2024.
Kai Kara-France earns first-round knockout win at UFC 305
Heading into UFC 305 in Perth, Kai Kara-France was a large underdog for his co-main occasion conflict in opposition to Steve Erceg – but proved as soon as once more which you could by no means depend out the Kiwi’s devastating knockout energy.
The win over the Australian not solely marks the 12th KO/TKO win of Kara-France’s profession however was additionally his 11th first-round end as an expert MMA fighter – an excellent achievement for any athlete, not to mention a flyweight competing at such a excessive stage.
“We knew Steve was going to be artful and he was going to be good so we needed to set him up for the second part; I couldn’t simply let the cannon go and that’s when I discovered the end,” he advised Daniel Cormier within the octagon.
“This was the assertion that I used to be speaking about, I need my actions to be my loudest voice,” the fan-favorite flyweight added; so, what’s subsequent for the Kiwi?
‘Don’t Blink’ requires a flyweight title combat vs Pantoja for December
Following his first-round demolition of the ‘Astroboy’, Kai Kara-France would head backstage for the post-fight press conference, and it didn’t take lengthy for ‘Don’t Blink’ to set his sights on a title shot.
“Should you break down this combat, I simply beat the man who everybody thought ought to’ve been the champion [and] I’ve simply overwhelmed him within the first spherical.”
Kara-France then took intention at former RIZIN champion Kai Asakura, a brand new signing for the UFC who many had been anticipating to stroll straight right into a title shot forward of ‘Don’t Blink’.
“I’ve heard the UFC need to deliver on this man from Japan known as Kai however I’m the actual Kai… That is my dwelling, you may’t simply are available and suppose you may bang with the large canine, you suppose you’re good, but it surely doesn’t work like that.
“You’ve obtained to earn it and I’ve been on this firm for some time now, I’ve fought everybody on this flyweight division and I’m going to let my actions be my loudest voice – and I’m making noise now.”
As famous by the Kiwi, Alexandre Pantoja’s subsequent title protection has not but been formally introduced, with the Brazilian brawler having beforehand teased that he’d wish to return round December of this yr.
Unsurprisingly, Kara-France believes that that is the proper timeline for him to step in in opposition to ‘The Cannibal’ for that UFC 310 card in December.
“I might need simply leapfrogged my manner again right into a title shot… If they need me to combat for the title I’d fortunately wait until December, I need to combat earlier than the tip of the yr and if that aligns and so they need to make it occur.
“Me and Pantoja have a historical past; we shared the octagon on The Final Fighter… He’s a canine and I like his combat fashion, however I really feel like I might be the one to take him out – he hasn’t fought me within the UFC correctly but so if he desires, let’s do it in December.”
Following his first-round KO win at UFC 305, Kai Kara-France improves his skilled file to 25-11 and crucially, places a halt to his current two-fight dropping streak.
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