“I’ve been there before. Picked myself up a lot of times. And it gets harder every time, especially when you’ve put so much into this,” Kai Kara-France told Sky Sport NZ, his voice breaking and eyes welling up. The Kiwi seemed locked in throughout UFC 317 fight week. Motivated and hungry to bring another belt back to the land down under. But Alexandre Pantoja shattered those dreams with a tight rear-naked choke in the third round. Still, that doesn’t mean he would remain heartbroken.

Failures are part of success, and Kara-France might be one of the best fighters to understand that. He’s battled through several setbacks to earn a title shot during the esteemed International Fight Week. However, ‘The Cannibal’ once again showed why he’s the most dangerous 125er on the planet right now. This loss will sting ‘Don’t Blink’ for some time, and moving on won’t be easy. But he’s got some amazing friends helping make the process a little easier.

The Kiwi, likely shedding a few tears shortly after, seemed to feel a little lighter. And before long, he went into full-on party mode. Following the monumental loss, Kara-France chose to end the night on a higher, more upbeat note. He linked up with long-time teammate Israel Adesanya, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, and popular comedian Theo Von at a party, probably somewhere in Las Vegas, and uploaded the moments on Instagram Story. 

That’s a solid first step for Kai to start shaking off the sting of that championship defeat. Surrounded by loved ones, teammates, and even a few celebrities, he took the time to soak it all in before deciding when the right moment would be to climb back up the ladder. With Joshua Van now locking in the No. 1 contender spot after beating Brandon Royval, the options have opened up. And who knows, we might just see Kai back in the cage sooner than we think.

However, that was the first time ‘Don’t Blink’ truly found out what it felt like to face an absolute master like Alexandre Pantoja in a championship bout. We all know how it ended, but let’s hear how Kai described the real-time experience of going up against ‘The Cannibal.’

Kai Kara-France details the experience of fighting Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 317

Pantoja has established himself as the most formidable flyweight champion since the era of Demetrious Johnson in the UFC. ‘The Cannibal’ has now secured his fourth title defense, solidifying his legacy as one of the all-time greats in the division. He entered the fight as a huge favorite, and he certainly delivered, securing a dominant victory over Kai Kara-France. At times, it appeared that Kai was taken aback by the champion’s relentless advance, even after absorbing several clean strikes on the feet.

‘Don’t Blink’ revealed to Sky Sport NZ, “Hats off to Pantoja. He’s the champ for a reason. He’s just tough. I cracked him a few times, and he just keeps coming forward. I thought I was sweet, and until it got deeper and deeper, and then before you know it, I was trying to pull those arms out, and it was just stuck. So, you know he’s just an expert. That’s his world on the ground.”

Absolutely! Alexandre Pantoja’s position as the flyweight champion has only soared following this title defense. The gap in skill levels was quite apparent, to be honest. Kara-France definitely showcased noticeable improvements from his previous fights with Brandon Moreno and Amir Albazi, and it’s clear he will return even stronger. It appears that the champion in the flyweight division is set to maintain his reign for the foreseeable future.

Given the current landscape, do you believe Kai Kara-France has a shot at re-entering the title conversation if he secures a couple of victories? We want to hear what you think! Share your opinions in the comments section below!