Latest news with #UFC305
USA Today
27-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Kai Kara-France calm ahead of UFC 317 title fight: 'I know what the expectations are'
Kai Kara-France calm ahead of UFC 317 title fight: 'I know what the expectations are' Veteran Kai Kara-France finds himself in a different mindset ahead of his second UFC title bout. Kai Kara-France enters his UFC flyweight championship opportunity at a great time in his life. The veteran fighter says he's at a much better place right now as he enters the biggest fight in his MMA career. Kara-France (25-11 MMA, 8-4 UFC) takes on champion Alexandre Pantoja (29-5 MMA, 13-3 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC 317 on June 28 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Kara-France fought for a UFC interim title in 2022, but was stopped by Brandon Moreno with a third-round TKO. Kara-France plans on using that experience paired with his new mentality to bring home the belt. "This year will be my 15th year fighting professionally, so I've been doing it for a long time. But now I'm just doing it with more purpose and more fire," Kara-France told Combat TV. "I know that this is my time to do it – with age and maturity and experience. I already fought for the belt before. I know what the pressure feels like. I know what the expectations are. So (I'm) just welcoming it, and this time around ready for it, and this time around not fighting with things that aren't going your way – just letting it all flow. That's where I'm at right now. I'm at a great place and ready to bring back another belt to (City Kickboxing)." Pantoja vs. Kara-France was rumored for quite some time, and it had several potential dates prior to landing on UFC International Fight Week next month. Finally getting a date for his title opportunity was a huge relief for the Kiwi fighter. "I thought I was fighting in April against Pantoja in Miami, on the same card that (teammate) Alex (Volkanovski) was fighting on, but things just didn't work out," Kara-France said. "The UFC said, 'No, we want to push it back.' It is hard because you want to peak at the right time, and I'm all in when I get a date and time I'll be fighting, and I'll do everything I can to prepare. I train seven days a week, three times a day, so it's a bit harder when you're in limbo and don't know when that date is because you want to stay active and stay in the gym, but you don't want to take risk of injury, and your immune system is going to be compromised just because you're training so much." Pantoja, 34, looks to record his fourth flyweight title defense. After claiming the belt by winning a split decision over Moreno at UFC 290, Pantoja has defended against Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg and Kai Asakura. For Kara-France, 31, he looks to build on his first-round finish of Erceg at UFC 305 in August. Prior to that, he was on a two-fight losing skid that included the title loss to Moreno and a close split decision loss to Amir Albazi.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 319 headliner
Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis will look to extend his title reign when he takes on undefeated Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev preview Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) seeks to defend his middleweight title for the third time. The South African became champion in a split decision over Sean Strickland at UFC 297. He successfully defended against former champ Israel Adesanya, winning by submission in the fourth round at UFC 305. In his most recent outing, Du Plessis won a unanimous decision against Strickland in a title rematch at UFC 312. Advertisement Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) is coming off arguably his most impressive outing to date, a first-round submission finish of former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 308. The Chechnya-born middleweight has been labeled a future champion since stepping onto the UFC scene, a forecast he supported by finishing his first four opponents and earning bonuses in his first five appearances. Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev odds According to DraftKings, Du Plessis is a +164 underdog to retain his title against unbeaten challenger Chimaev, who's a -198 favorite. How to watch Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 Where: United Center, Chicago Broadcast/streaming: ESPN+ pay-per-view When: Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025 This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev UFC 319 odds
USA Today
20-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Luana Santos proud to 'leave a little mark' in UFC record books with historic finish
Luana Santos proud to 'leave a little mark' in UFC record books with historic finish Show Caption Hide Caption UFC's Luana Santos breaks down historic submission in women's MMA UFC Fight Night 256 winner Luana Santos talks to MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight after her second-round submission of Tainara Lisboa. LAS SANTOS – Luana Santos is proud to achieve a moment inside the octagon that will last forever at UFC Fight Night 256. Records are made to be broken, but for Santos (9-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), she did something that can never be repeated when she earned the first Americana submission by any female in UFC history when she finished Tainara Lisboa in the second round of their bantamweight bout this past Saturday. "Very happy because it's making history – I always tell people that I want to leave a little mark," Santos told MMA Junkie through an interpreter after her win. "You know about the dances that I always put on, but to be the first Americana finish, and before this fight I said I said I. Want to have a safe fight, I want to have a cautious fight because I want to come out and get back into the win column. As it turns out, not only I did put on a show, but I ended with the first Americana submission. I'm happy." Santos said that her coaches encouraged her to throw strikes with the fight hit the mat, but her instincts led to locking up the submission. "I knew when I got her in the Americana, one of her arms was caught and stuck, so she wasn't going to be able to tap anyways," Santos said. "I heard her say, 'That's it, that's it, that's it.' The ref did not hear it but I kept looking at him like, 'Dude, she said it.' At one point I freed her up and she said it." After starting her UFC career 3-0 at women's flyweight, Santos lost to Casey O'Neill at UFC 305 in August. The result prompted her to shift back to 135 pounds, where she started her career. Now she has to decide if she wants to stay there. I have one foot in on one, and another in on the other," Santos said. "I feel good about this. Bantamweight is what I used to fight at for a long time before coming to the UFC. I just wanted to test myself at 125 and I did it, but this felt really good, the weight cuts were really good. I felt strong. This may be my home."
USA Today
16-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 319 headliner
Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 319 headliner Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis will look to extend his title reign when he takes on undefeated Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev preview Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) seeks to defend his middleweight title for the third time. The South African became champion in a split decision over Sean Strickland at UFC 297. He successfully defended against former champ Israel Adesanya, winning by submission in the fourth round at UFC 305. In his most recent outing, Du Plessis won a unanimous decision against Strickland in a title rematch at UFC 312. Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) is coming off arguably his most impressive outing to date, a first-round submission finish of former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 308. The Chechnya-born middleweight has been labeled a future champion since stepping onto the UFC scene, a forecast he supported by finishing his first four opponents and earning bonuses in his first five appearances. Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev odds According to DraftKings, Du Plessis is a +164 underdog to retain his title against unbeaten challenger Chimaev, who's a -198 favorite. How to watch Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 Where: United Center, Chicago Broadcast/streaming: ESPN+ pay-per-view When: Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025
USA Today
15-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 317 co-headliner
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 317 co-headliner Flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja will look to continue dominating his division when he takes on a dangerous contender at UFC 317. Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France preview Pantoja (29-5 MMA, 13-3 UFC) and Kara-France (25-11 MMA, 8-4 UFC) already fought once before, but it came on Season 24 of "The Ultimate Fighter" in a two-round exhibition bout which Pantoja won by unanimous decision. Pantoja will look to notch his fourth title defense after wins over Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg and most recently Kai Asakura at UFC 310. Meanwhile, Kara-France earned his opportunity after a first-round TKO of Erceg at UFC 305 last August. This will be his second crack at UFC gold after losing to Brandon Moreno for the vacant interim title by third-round TKO at UFC 277. Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France odds According to DraftKings, Pantoja is a moderate -245 favorite to beat former title challenger Kara-France, who's a +200 underdog. How to watch Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France at UFC 317 Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas Broadcast/streaming: ESPN+ pay-per-view When: Saturday, June 28, 2025
