However, recently Kara-France announced that he would be taking time away from active competition in MMA and was being pulled from the UFC flyweight rankings to attend to personal matters. At the time Kai Kara-France informed UFC officials that he would be taking a break from his career, he was ranked #5 at 125.
Before retiring from competition for the time being, he had fought for the UFC Flyweight Championship at UFC 317, losing to Alexandre Pantoja (30-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC) in the third round due to a rear choke. The outspoken Kiwi had left fellow New Zealanders optimistic. Despite being a +250 underdog, some experts recommended it activate your $75 free chip without deposit – NZ real money ended up in online books. But the oddsmakers were right and Kai Kara-France suffered his third loss in his last five fights.
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Thus far, Kara-France has given no indication that the June 28 loss in Enterprise, NV will be his final appearance in the sport. At the same time, however, this raises a simple question:
Is this the end of Kai Kara-France’s run in MMA?
Whether or not the June 28 loss to Alexandre Pantoja proves to be Kara-France’s MMA swan song is up to him and him alone. Considering he’s committed to taking a year off from fighting, you’d think he’d start considering other opportunities in his life outside of the sport.
Although he has only had 13 UFC fights to date, his 8-5 record under Dana White’s promotional banner means he has had some struggles during his tenure. Today we look at the ups and downs of his time in the world of MMA.
Kai Kara-France puts four fights on the regional circuit
By the second half of 2013, Kai Kara-France had already competed in six professional MMA fights, going 3-3 during that period. Fast forward to August of that year, when he took on Ho Jun Kim in Pro Fighting 8.
It didn’t take long for Kara-France to end the fight, stopping his opponent in the opening round with a kick to the head. This started a five-fight undefeated streak, including the no-contest in December 2013.
A three-fight losing streak followed for him before he found his way back to victory lane for a five-fight winning streak and a championship win at Bragging Rights 7 with a first-round knockout victory over Shantaram Maharaj. This led to MMA’s top promotion, giving Kai Kara-France a shot in 2016.
Kai-Kara France Keep going T.U.F., Doesn’t live up to the UFC deal
Ahead of the 2016 fall season of The ultimate fighter Television series, Kai Kara-France was confirmed as part of the cast. He wouldn’t receive a UFC contract, so to speak T.U.F., losing to Alexandre Pantoja by decision after two rounds in the semi-finals (quarter-final and semi-final fights on The ultimate fighter are two-round exhibitions.)
Undeterred, Kara-France continued his winning ways in 2017, defeating two of his four opponents that year and in late 2018 he made his UFC debut at the latest FS1 UFC Fight Night, securing a unanimous decision victory over Elias Grace. In doing so, he earned the $50,000 (USD) post-show Fight of the Night bonus.
He fought three times in 2019 and went 2-1 before 2020 hit. Against the backdrop of an adjusted playing schedule due to COVID-19, he went 1-1. After bouncing back from the pandemic with a three-fight winning streak, trouble struck.
Kai Kara-France goes 1-3 before the break
At the end of 2023, Kara-France dropped two fights in a row. Brandon Moreno connected with a kick to the liver in the third round of their June 2022 fight before Kara-France lost on the scorecards (split decision) to Amir Albazi in the main event of the UFC Apex.
Although Kai Kara-France scored a first-round knockout victory over Steve Erceg at UFC 305 last year, it was the only win in that stretch. In the aftermath of the defeat against Pantoja, Kara-France now finds itself at a crossroads.
Whether he’s still an active fighter at this point in 2026 is anyone’s guess, but one thing’s for sure: he’s got plenty of thinking to do between now and then.
Image credit: IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wire
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