UFC 317 Fight Card Odds And Predictions: Pantoja Vs. Kara-France
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 16: Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil exits the Octagon following the UFC ... More flyweight championship fight during the UFC 296 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 16, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Two UFC title fights headline Saturday's UFC 317 fight card. In the main event, two former champions, Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira, battle it out for the vacant UFC lightweight strap. Meanwhile, in the UFC 317 co-main event, UFC flyweight kingpin Alexandre Pantoja attempts to make his fourth defense of the title he claimed in June 2023 against former interim UFC 125-pound title challenger Kai Kara France. We take a deep look at the Pantoja vs. Kara-France matchup.
UFC 317 takes place on June 28 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The ESPN+ streaming pay-per-view card headlines this year's version of the UFC's annual International Fight Week.
UFC 317 Co-Main Event: Alexandre Pantoja Vs. Kai Kara-France
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 08: Alexandre Pantoja celebrates after defeating UFC flyweight champion ... More Brandon Moreno during UFC 290 at T-Mobile Arena on July 08, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pantoja won the title by split decision. (Photo by)
Alexandre Pantoja (29-5) is on a seven-fight winning streak heading into UFC 317. The 35-year-old Brazilian made his UFC debut in July 2017 with a split-decision win over Eric Shelton. Pantoja's career had its ups and downs over the next three years, where he went 5-3, but he has not lost since he dropped a decision to Askar Askarov in July 2020.
Pantoja won the UFC flyweight title in July 2023 on the heels of two 'Performance of the Night' submission wins. Pantoja secured the 125-pound title with a split decision win over Brandon Moreno. Since that victory, Pantoja has defended his three times, beating Brandon Royval in December 2023 and Steve Erceg in May 2024. Both fights ended in decision victories. Pantoja picked up his 19th career finish in his third title defense, submitting Kai Asakura at UFC 310 in December 2024.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 18: Kai Kara-France of New Zealand prepares to face Steve Erceg of ... More Australia in a flyweight fight during the UFC 305 event at RAC Arena on August 18, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Kai Kara-France (25-11-0-1) was 17-7-0-1 when he got the call from the UFC in 2019. In his first fight with the promotion, the New Zealander faced a short-notice opponent in Elias Garcia. The two won 'Fight of the Night' honors for their efforts, with Kara-France picking up the decision win.
Kara-France followed that victory with two more wins on the judge's scorecards. Then, in December 2019, he faced future champion Brandon Moreno on the early prelims of the UFC 245 pay-per-view card. Moreno won that bout by decision.
Kara-France went 1-1 in his next two outings. He then tore off three straight wins between March 2021 and March 2022 and found himself as the No. 2 ranked fighter in the division. In his next outing, he faced Moreno, who was ranked No. 1, in the co-main event of UFC 277. At stake was the interim UFC flyweight title. Moreno won that contest by TKO in the third round.
Kara-France followed that setback with a split-decision loss to Amir Albazi in June 2023.
Kara-France was booked to face Manel Kape in September 2023, but a concussion during training camp prevented Kara-France from competing on that card, UFC 293. The 32-year-old would not return to action until August 2024, where he earned a first-round TKO win, and a 'Performance of the Night' bonus against Steve Erceg.
Kara-France enters UFC 317 as the No. 4 fighter in the official UFC flyweight rankings.
UFC 317 Co-Main Event Betting Lines And Movement: Alexandre Pantoja Vs. Kai Kara-France
When BetOnline posted the opening odds for the UFC 317 co-main event, Pantoja was a -250 betting favorite over Kara-France, who opened as the +210 betting underdog. Those odds have held and remain the same today.
UFC 317 Co-Main Event Tale Of The Tape: Alexandre Pantoja Vs. Kai Kara-France
Age: 35
Height: 5' 5'
Reach: 67'
Stance: Orthodox
Age: 32
Height: 5'4'
Reach: 69'
Stance: Orthodox
UFC 317 Co-Main Event Predictions And Picks: Alexandre Pantoja Vs. Kai Kara-France
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 07: (L-R) Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil reacts to his win over Kai ... More Asakura of Japan in the UFC flyweight championship bout during the UFC 310 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
We're looking at a grappler vs. striking battle in the co-main event of UFC 317. The champ is the grappler and the challenger is the striker. These two fought in an exhibition match in 2016 during The Ultimate Fighter. Pantoja won that two-round affair by decision. Don't put much stock in that contest.
Look for Pantoja to move forward and strike with Kara-France early, but then look for the takedown where he will be able to drag Kara-France into deep water and outwork him on the mat. Yes, Kara-France has a punchers chance, but not much more than that.
The betting pick is for Pantoja to beat Kara-France by decision to retain the UFC flyweight title at UFC 317.
We will have more on the UFC 317 co-main event as fight night nears, as well as live results, reactions, highlights and more for the UFC 317 pay-per-view card on fight night.
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