Kai Kara-France's main event fight has gone the distance in a very close, very tight fight that has ended in a split decision loss by the Kiwi to Iraq's Amir Albazi in Las Vegas on Sunday NZT.
While Albazi's ground game paid off in moments of the fight, Kara-France's stand-up skills proved more dominant with 133 strikes landing, 99 of which were significant.
But the win has gone Albazi's way - and that's even though Kara-France had two takedowns to Albazi's one.
Entering the arena, Kara-France changed up his walkout song. Usually making his walk to Pātea Māori Club's Poi E, the NZ Warriors wrestling coach chose Scribe's Not Many (Remix) instead.
The fight started off with a passionate and fiery Albazi taking the centre. A failed takedown attempt on the fence led Kara-France to defend up against the cage. In the last few moments of the round, the Kiwi dropped his hands to welcome Albazi to a strike fest. The Iraqi did the same and as the bell rang to close round one both men had an intense staredown.
Round two was more of the same: another failed takedown by Albazi, Kara-France landing more leg kicks and jabs, and Albazi responding with some of his own.
Though Albazi’s left knee was printed in red from multiple kicks by the Kiwi, he did finally get a takedown leading to back control.
It is a position that Kara-France has been in before and he kept calm. For a few seconds, Albazi had the Kiwi tight in a rear-naked choke until Kara-France stood up and reversed to come over the top of Albazi, with a ferocious flurry of elbows and punches to close the third round.
The fourth was another strike fest, Kara-France showing his superior jab game and Albazi landing several body kicks.
In the fifth and final round, Kara-France came in with the pressure game, not offering a chance for Albazi to respond or get a break. Knowing it was the last minute, Albazi finally risked it too, meeting the Kiwi in the striking game with both men landing uppercuts, hooks and jabs.
In the end, despite Kara-France doing more damage, the split decision win went Albazi’s way.
When Kara-France will fight next is unclear, but with a UFC pay-per-view poised to return to Sydney in September, it could be the next opportunity for him to get back into flyweight title contention.
