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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 05: (L-R) Opponents Rogerio Bontorin of Brazil and Kai Kara-France of New Zealand face off during the UFC 259 weigh-in at UFC APEX on March 05, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 05: (L-R) Opponents Rogerio Bontorin of Brazil and Kai Kara-France of New Zealand face off during the UFC 259 weigh-in at UFC APEX on March 05, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Kai Kara-France and Rogerio Bontorin will face each other in an exciting flyweight matchup in the prelims of UFC 259. The Brazilian, Bontorin, is coming off a unanimous decision loss against Ray Borg in his last fight in February 2020. Kara-France last fought at UFC 253 and lost to Brandon Royval by submission.
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The Kiwi, Kara-France, has won 4 out of his 6 fights in the UFC. The fight against Kara-France will be the Brazilian’s fourth outing inside the Octagon. Bontorin is a former alumnus of the Dana White’s Contender Series. Both fighters are very close in age, with Kara-France being 27-years-old, whilst Bontorin is 28.
Both fighters will look to move to the upper echelon of the UFC flyweight division with a win.
Rogerio Bontorin and Kai Kara-France in numbers
Bontorin has a 51% striking accuracy, landing 57 out of his 112 attempted strikes. He lands 1.73 significant strikes per minute, absorbing 4.10 per minute in the process. Bontorin has a professional record of 16-2. He has 3 T/KO finishes and 11 submissions in his resume.
Kara-France has a professional record of 21-9 and has registered 9 wins by T/KO and 3 wins by submission. ‘Don’t Blink’ trains in the City Kickboxing team alongside Israel Adesanya.
Bontorin has never been finished by strikes in his professional career. But Kara-France has certainly competed against much higher level competition throughout his career.
Kara-France’s last win was against Tyson Nam in February of last year. His only two losses inside the Octagon have been against Brandon Royval and Brandon Moreno.
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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – SEPTEMBER 27: (L-R) Kai Kara France of New Zealand punches Brandon Royval in their flyweight bout during UFC 253 inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on September 27, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
Both fighters are coming off losses and will look to come back to winning ways. One more loss will push either fighter towards the tail end of the rankings and will leave them on a two-fight skid.
Kara-France has looked really good so far in his outings inside the Octagon, but so has Bontorin. However, as mentioned earlier, ‘Don’t Blink’ is the more experienced fighter and this could prove to be decisive.
Final Prediction: Kara-France by unanimous decision.
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