For the first time in his young UFC career, Kai Kara-France is going into a fight at the height of his powers.
The 26-year-old flyweight has embraced the scientific elements of the sport and is reaping the rewards. With the flyweight division's fighting weight being a shade below 57kg, the weight cut is an essential, but often tough, part of the game.
Reflecting on cutting weight early in his professional career, Kara-France said: "I would be killing myself just to make this weight." Now, with a big team behind him including nutritionist Jordan Sullivan – known to many UFC fighters as the Fight Dietitian – Kara-France is not only managing his weight cut better, but getting the best out of the situation as possible.
"It's a massive change from when I first started my career," he explained. "Now, it's all science and there's a team behind me that help me get to those numbers and do it safely and efficiently. I'm just more than happy to be a part of it and enjoy the process.
"That's what fight week's all about – you don't want to be stressing over things. It should be enjoyable, you should be able to just soak in the city and not just be stuck in your hotel room dying – well not dying, but with low energy and all that kind of stuff."
Kara-France is unbeaten in two bouts since joining the UFC last year, shaking off nerves on debut and a hand injury in his second bout to get the perfect start. After that second bout, in Melbourne in February, Kara-France took time off to get his body right physically and mentally.
This weekend, Kara-France will return to the octagon the healthiest he's been for a fight in a long time – thanks in large part to taking the time to relax and recuperate.
"I feel like, because I was a bit heavy nine weeks out from this fight, it made me stick to my diet to a tee and that made my body react the way it has," he explained.
"I'm super happy with the weight and I can actually eat a bit of food which is nice. I'm just enjoying fight week, it's a nice change when you can actually eat a little bit and not stress about that weight.
Kara-France will fight on the main card for the first time when he meets submission specialist Mark de la Rosa in Shenzhen, China on Saturday night (NZ time). It's a return to familiar territory of Kara-France, who fought plenty of bouts in China earlier in his professional MMA career.
It was in those early bouts he earned the nickname 'Don't Blink' for his ability to knock his opponents out at any moment. Now on a seven-fight winning streak, he was hopeful he could return to those ways against de la Rosa.
"I've had a little bit of time off, had a bit of time to upskill and help out the other boys with their camps and learn a bit off them, now it's the right time for me to get back in there.
"I'm feeling at full strength, I'm mentally refreshed as well and I'm just ready to re-establish myself in the Chinese market.
"I want to make a statement this fight."
Tale of the tape
Kai Kara-France
Age: 26
Record: 19-7 (1 no contest)
Reach: 175cm
Height: 165cm
Mark de la Rosa
Age: 24
Record: 11-2
Reach: 165cm
Height: 168cm