UFC 317: Alexandre Pantoja vs Kai Kara-France

The fight started with Kara-France using his reach and striking to keep Pantoja at bay, throwing quick jabs and low kicks. Pantoja was patient, circling and looking for an opening to shoot for a takedown. Midway through the round, Pantoja managed to close the distance, clinched against the cage, and executed a clean double-leg takedown. On the ground, Pantoja immediately started working to improve position, landing short ground-and-pound strikes and threatening with submission attempts. Kara-France stayed active from his back, trying to create space and scramble back up, but Pantoja maintained control until the bell.

Pantoja came out aggressive again, quickly taking Kara-France down within the first minute. This time, he worked to get behind him, securing back control. Kara-France defended well initially, avoiding the choke attempts, but Pantoja steadily tightened his grip. After about three minutes, Pantoja locked in a rear-naked choke. Kara-France fought hard to defend but was eventually forced to tap, giving Pantoja the submission victory.

Pantoja’s grappling was the defining factor in this fight. He neutralized Kara-France’s striking threat by taking the fight to the ground early and controlling the pace with dominant wrestling and submission skills. Kara-France showed toughness and solid striking, but he couldn’t keep the fight standing long enough to land anything decisive.

This win reinforced Pantoja’s status as the top flyweight in the UFC and highlighted the importance of grappling in this weight class. Kara-France’s performance, while falling short, showed he remains a serious contender moving forward.