UFC - UFC #317
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by Stephen Abiola | in UFC Picks
Alex Pantoja (29-5-0) vs Kai Kara-France (25-11-0) is an exciting co-main event at UFC 317 inside T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night. Pantoja will be looking to defend his UFC flyweight title and continue his dominant reign in the division. He has successfully defended the title since winning it in 2022 against Alex Perez. In December 2024, “The Cannibal” defeated Kai Asakura via submission to retain the belt. This could be his fourth successful title defense.
Kai Kara-France, on the other hand, will be eager to impress on his first attempt at UFC gold in the division. The 32-year-old NZ fighter has initially shown that he can recover from losses and compete at the highest level in the franchise. He recently bounced back from back-to-back losses, including a title loss against Brandon Moreno, to defeat Steve Erceg in August 2024. This victory earned him a title shot against an opponent who is on a roll as champion.
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Alex Pantoja - Kai Kara-France Key Points
- Kai Kara-France lost two of his last three fights.
- Pantoja won his last seven UFC fights.
- Pantoja has three decision wins in his last three UFC fights.
- The fight went the distance in three of the last four Pantoja fights.
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Our Alex Pantoja vs Kai Kara-France Prediction
This fight is quite basic, at least on paper. Kai Kara-France will want to keep this fight on its feet, where he can excel, averaging 4.56 significant strikes per minute. Pantoja is also an accomplished striker, averaging 4.41 significant strikes per minute. The defending champion isn’t known for his finishing prowess, recording only two KO/TKO wins in his UFC career. However, he is excellent at what he does, and we expect him to defend the title via decision and become the best since Demetrious Johnson.
Our prediction for Alex Pantoja vs Kai Kara-France: Fight to go the distance.
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