Key Stats: 3 KO/TKO wins (tied-6th all-time among FLW), 8 knockdowns landed (2nd all-time among FLW), 88% takedown defense (3rd all-time among FLW)
Saturday’s Full Fight Card Preview
What It Means: “Don’t Blink” is arguably the premier knockout artist in the flyweight division. Kara-France isn’t the most physically imposing, but his ability to land powerful punches in a technical manner is what makes him such a tricky problem for opponents. Whether it’s with a big overhand, an uppercut, or a heavy shot at the end of a combination, the Kiwi just finds a way to land a big shot. He can also connect while switching stances in the middle of a striking sequence, which makes his distance management tricky. Kara-France’s defensive grappling is tight. He likes to get his work done early with footwork and circling off the Octagon, but he also has shown great break-in-case-of-emergency defense.
What to Look For in the Fight: While this projects as a striker-vs-grappler matchup, Pantoja has shown a willingness and ability to stand and trade with the stronger strikers at 125 pounds. He loves to drag a fight into a messier affair before shooting in on his opponent’s legs for a takedown to steal rounds and momentum. Kara-France will have to defend several shots, and he won’t ever find a dejected Pantoja if he is successful in keeping the fight on the feet. That said, Kara-France will need to take his chances when they come. Pantoja hasn’t been finished in his career, but if someone can do it, it’s the City Kickboxing representative. However, Pantoja has all the tools in his locker to find the finish in his own right, particularly if he can find his way to Kara-France’s back.
