Kai Kara-France came up short in his second UFC title bid at UFC 317, falling to flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja via rear-naked choke in the third round. Despite his trademark toughness and scrambling ability, Kara-France had no answers for Pantoja’s suffocating back control and relentless grappling pressure. The loss underscores that while Kara-France remains one of the division’s most dangerous strikers, he’ll need to rebound and retool if he hopes to earn another crack at the belt. Now #5 in the rankings, he remains firmly in the contender mix thanks to his power, experience, and proven finishing instincts.

Next up for Kai Kara-France should be a long-awaited showdown with #7-ranked Manel Kape. These two have had an extended history of callouts and canceled matchups, making this the perfect time to finally settle the score. Kape is coming off a highlight-reel TKO win over Asu Almabayev in March that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus. He’s one of the most explosive and unpredictable strikers in the division, with a proven ability to finish both on the feet and on the mat.

Stylistically, Kara-France vs. Kape is guaranteed fireworks. Kara-France brings crisp boxing, nasty power, and well-timed counters, while Kape’s creative striking, speed, and killer instinct make him a nightmare matchup for anyone. Both men are top-10 mainstays who need a big win to stay in the title conversation, and their shared history only raises the stakes. This is a Fight Night headliner or PPV main-card clash waiting to happen — and the perfect bout to determine the next flyweight contender.

Last Five Fights – Kai Kara-France:

1. Loss to Alexandre Pantoja – Submission (rear-naked choke), UFC 317 (June 28, 2025)
2. Win over Steve Erceg – TKO (punches), UFC 305 (August 18, 2024)
3. Loss to Amir Albazi – Decision (split), UFC on ESPN (June 3, 2023)
4. Loss to Brandon Moreno – TKO (body kick and punches), UFC 277 (July 30, 2022)
5. Win over Askar Askarov – Decision (unanimous), UFC on ESPN (March 26, 2022)

Last Five Fights – Manel Kape:

1. Win over Asu Almabayev – TKO (retirement), UFC Fight Night (March 1, 2025)
2. Win over Bruno Gustavo da Silva – TKO (body kick and punches), UFC on ESPN (December 14, 2024)
3. Loss to Muhammad Mokaev – Decision (unanimous), UFC 304 (July 27, 2024)
4. Win over Felipe dos Santos – Decision (unanimous), UFC 293 (September 10, 2023)
5. Win over David Dvořák – Decision (unanimous), UFC Fight Night (December 17, 2022)