Alexandre Pantoja taps out Kai Kara-France to retain flyweight title and he did it in classic champion style at UFC 317. In a fight that tested both heart and endurance, Pantoja used slick grappling and relentless pressure to wear Kara-France down.
Right before Topuria and Oliveira make waves, UFC 317 serves up the co-main event, another exciting showdown at T-Mobile Arena on June 28. In the co-main event, reigning champion Alexandre Pantoja puts his belt on the line against the explosive Kai Kara-France.
These two have history, and now it’s time to settle it on the biggest stage.
Pantoja, the 34-year-old Brazilian, has looked better than ever since becoming champion. He captured the flyweight title in 2023 with a hard-fought win over Brandon Moreno, then defended it three times, most recently submitting Kai Asakura in the second round at UFC 310. With a record of 29 wins and 5 losses, Pantoja is known for his relentless pressure, strong jiu-jitsu, and his ability to break opponents down over time.
Across the cage was Kai Kara-France, the pride of New Zealand and a fan favorite for his explosive striking and fearless style. Kara-France, who recently secured a TKO victory over Erceg made his second attempt at UFC gold, having previously fought for the interim flyweight title in 2022. He’s set to remind everyone he’s still a serious contender. He entered into the octagon with a record of 25–11 and plenty of motivation to become champion.
Kara- France was the first to step into the cage, looking calm and ready. Pantoja followed shortly after, walking out with confidence and a big smile. One could tell he was fired up, ready to leave it all in the cage and take home the win.
As soon as the fight started, Pantoja wasted no time. From the opening bell, Pantoja took control. He landed the first shots, and they were sharp. Not too long, he had Kara-France on the ground and pinned against the cage. Kara-france tried to break free, but Pantoja kept the pressure on and kept landing punches. The entire first round played out mostly on the mat, with Pantoja clearly in control from the top.
Round two opened even more aggressively it picked up right where it left off. Pantoja came out strong with a body kick and quickly pushed Kara- france back to the cage, dragging him down again. Kara france managed to get up and land a few punches, showing signs of life. He even pinned Pantoja on the cage for a moment and connected with some good shots that caught the judges’ attention. But Pantoja stayed calm, flipped the momentum again, and ended the round strong.
In round three, Kara-france tried to switch things up by going for a takedown, but it didn’t go his way. Pantoja turned it around, landed on top, and started throwing punches. Then he locked in a choke. France tried to fight it, but there was no way out. At 1:55 into the third round, he tapped.
Pantoja didn’t waste time celebrating. Right after the win, he called out Van, who had already fought earlier on the card. Van stepped into the cage, and the two shared a look that said everything. If that matchup happens next, fans are in for a good one.
This win marks Pantoja’s fifth successful title defense, and with each fight, he looks more polished and more dangerous. Kara-France brought the fire, but it just wasn’t enough against the grappling wizardry of the champion.
Check out the UFC 317 results below:
Main Card
Ilia Topuria def. Charles Oliveira via first-round TKO (2:27)
Alexandre Pantoja def. Kai Kara-France via sub (RNC) (R3, 1:55)
Joshua Van def. Brandon Royval via unanimous decision
Beneil Dariush def. Renato Moicano via unanimous decision
Payton Talbott def. Felipe Lima via unanimous decision
Preliminary Card
Gregory Rodrigues def. Jack Hermansson via first-round KO (4:21)
Jose Miguel Delgado def. Hyder Amil via first-round KO (0:26)
Tracy Cortez def. Viviane Araujo via unanimous decision
Terrance McKinney def. Viacheslav Borshchev via sub (guillotine) (R1, 0:55)
Jacobe Smith def. Niko Price via submission (rear-naked choke) (R2, 4:03)
Jhonata Diniz def. Alvin Hines via unanimous decision
