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Alexandre Pantoja vs Kai Kara-France Preview & Picks – Pantoja To Retain At UFC 317

leigh-copson
4 hours ago
leigh-copson
Leigh Copson 4 hours ago
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  • Alexandre Pantoja vs Kai Kara-France picks for Saturday, June 28
  • UFC 317 is taking place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Preview, predictions, stats & form
Alexandre Pantoja (Getty Images)
    Alexandre Pantoja vs Kai Kara-France Preview & Picks
  • Alexandre Pantoja vs Kai Kara-France Preview & Picks
  • Alexandre Pantoja Form
  • Kai Kara-France Form

Alexandre Pantoja vs Kai Kara-France Preview & Picks

Alexandre Pantoja is backed to retain the flyweight title by submission.

Pantoja has repeatedly taken down strikers and tapped them out during his career, and more of the same is expected here.

  • Alexandre Pantoja is on a 7-fight win streak
  • Alexandre Pantoja’s last 3 stoppage wins came via submission
  • Kai Kara-France is 1-2 in his previous 3 fights
  • Kai Kara-France has been submitted 3 times in his career

Alexandre Pantoja Form

Alexandre Pantoja is the reigning and defending flyweight champion with a career record of 29-5 (8 KOs, 11 Subs).

Pantoja debuted in the UFC back in 2017 and made a successful start to his run, winning five of his first six fights.

He then dropped two of his next three, sandwiching a KO win over Matt Schnell with unanimous decision defeats to Deiveson Figueiredo and Askar Askarov, but he has been on a tear ever since.

The 35-year-old Brazilian beat Manel Kape by decision in February 2021, and that proved to be the start of a seven-fight win streak that sent him to the summit.

Pantoja then beat Brandon Royval by second-round submission, before earning a title fight by tapping out Alex Perez in the first.

‘The Cannibal’ made his first shot at UFC gold a successful one as he beat Brandon Moreno by split decision to claim the flyweight crown.

Since then he has made three successful defences, out-pointing Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg before beating Kai Asakura by second-round submission.

Kai Kara-France Form

Kai Kara-France is the number 4 ranked flyweight contender with a professional record of 25-11 (12 KOs, 3 Subs) and 1 No Contest.

Kara-France debuted in the UFC in December 2018 and enjoyed a successful first outing as he beat Elias Garcia by unanimous decision.

He then claimed a split decision win over Raulian Piava and a unanimous decision victory over Mark De La Rosa, before seeing his momentum stall with two defeats in his next three fights.

The 32-year-old New Zealander sandwiched a decision victory over Tyson Name with a points loss to Brandon Moreno and a second-round submission defeat to Brandon Royval.

Kara-France rallied in 2021 as he recorded first-round knockouts of Rogerio Bontorin and Cody Garbrants, and he then earned a shot at the interim flyweight title by beating Askar Askarov on points.

He lost that title fight though, as he was knocked out in the third round by Brandon Moreno, and that was followed by a split decision defeat to Amir Albazi.

‘Don’t Blink’ got back to winning ways in his last outing though, knocking out Steve Erceg in the first round.

Verdict

The simple fact is Kai Kara-France is getting the shot because of how thin this division is.

He does have a puncher’s chance, but Alexandre Pantoja is no stranger to dealing with dangerous strikers, and it usually ends with him taking them down and tapping them out.

Best Bet1: Pantoja by Submission Method Of Victory @220.00 at Stake.us - 4 Units
Pantoja by Submission
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