When he and his family went on holiday to Hawaii, Kara-France stayed disciplined, knowing an opportunity could come sooner or later. It came sooner in the form of a date with Askar Askarov on March 26, coincidentally Kara-France’s birthday. Although it isn’t the title shot he wanted, it’s the fight that almost certainly gets him there.
Askarov has shot up the rankings with his suffocating wrestling and strong striking. On the same night as Kara-France’s knockout of Bontorin, the Russian dominated Joseph Benavidez for three rounds and extended his unbeaten record to 14-0-1, the lone draw coming against Moreno. Kara-France is anticipating a grappling-heavy approach from Askarov, but he believes in his defensive wrestling as well as his team at City Kickboxing having more than enough to get the job done.
“The fight starts standing, which means it starts in my ballpark,” Kara-France said. “I know he’ll want to wrestle. Once he tries to get me down, he’s got to try to keep me down, so I’ve got one of the best scrambles in the flyweight division if not in the UFC. I believe in the team, and I believe in the structure and our system, so we’ll be well-prepared for what’s to come in the fight, and then once I get back to my feet or stay on my feet, I just find the shot, and I’ll put him away. I back myself 100 percent, and I can’t wait to see the best version of him because once I beat him, I don’t want any excuses. I want to be the next in line.”
Kai Kara-France Octagon Interview | UFC 269
Kara-France also has his eyes on the upcoming title fight at UFC 270. He expects Figueiredo to look better than ever after working with former two-division champion Henry Cejudo and the team at Fight Ready in Scottsdale, Arizona, for this camp. Ultimately, though, Kara-France believes Figueiredo will go back to that headhunting style he’s known for, and he also anticipates Moreno to look his best as well, touting the champion’s ability to adjust and adapt well mid-fight.