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.
Kai Kara-France will fight for the UFC flyweight title in Las Vegas on Sunday. Photo / Jason Dorday
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.”
UFC 317
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas. Sunday, June 29 (NZT) from 10.30am.
