UFC 317 will be a memorable event for Kai Kara-France if he repeats this performance from four years ago.
Kara-France is among those laughing off historic claims that flyweights don’t have power in their hands and can’t finish fights with brutal highlights.
The New Zealander has proven that claim wrong time and time again, including when Kara-France knocked out Cody Garbrandt in 2021 and most recently flattened Steve Erceg in one round at UFC 305 last year.
But perhaps one of the most devastating finishes from the collection of ‘Don’t Blink’ came at the expense of Rogerio Bontorin.
Kai Kara-France brutally knocked out Rogerio Bontorin after Joe Rogan said he was ‘doomed’
Kara-France fought Bontorin on the undercard of UFC 251, a 2021 event at the Apex that was headlined by Israel Adesanya challenging Jan Blachowicz, the then-UFC light heavyweight champion.
The Kiwi standout started the night off well for Auckland’s City Kickboxing gym, but it didn’t look like he would at one stage.
For much of the first round, Bontorin was on top. And that culminated in the Brazilian taking Kara-France’s back and attacking for a choke, leaving Joe Rogan exclaiming that he was in “deep trouble” and “doomed.”
But after escaping and working his way back to the feet, Kara-France closed the show in the final seconds of the opening frame with a combination of right hands, the last of which awkwardly spiked Bontorin’s head into the canvas.
Some confusion over referee Herb Dean’s intervention almost resulted in Kara-France coming back to land another follow-up shot after initially running off in celebration, leaving Bontorin furious.
Kai Kara-France ready to land as many ‘kill shots’ as it will take against Alexandre Pantoja
Though Kara-France believes he can send Pantoja to the same violent fate come fight night in Las Vegas, he isn’t expecting the “kill shot” to come quickly.
During his appearance at UFC 317 media day, ‘Don’t Blink’ acknowledged the champ’s durability but said he is prepared to connect with as many strikes as he needs to become the first man to knock Pantoja out.
“I believe in my power, my knockout power so much that sometimes when I fight guys it only takes one or two shots and you’ve found that kill shot,” Kara-France said.
“But Pantoja, I know you’re going to have to land at least 10 to 20 kill shots to get him out, and we’re prepared for that. We’re ready for the fire. I’m not taking a back step.”