UFC 317: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France: Full video highlights

Reigning champion Alexandre Pantoja made his octagon return for his fourth flyweight title defense against No.4-ranked contender Kai Kara-France in the co-main event of UFC 317. The pay-per-view card took place on Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Pantoja entered the title fight with a seven-fight win streak, the most recent being an outstanding submission victory against debutant Kai Asakura at UFC 310 last year. Notably, the Brazilian first met Kara-France in the quarterfinals of The Ultimate Fighter 24 in 2016, winning via unanimous decision after two rounds of intense action.

Meanwhile, Kara-France's two most recent fights included a failed interim flyweight matchup against former champion Brandon Moreno at UFC 277 in 2022, where he suffered a third-round knockout loss. In his last octagon appearance before Saturday at UFC 305, the Kiwi secured an opening round knockout win over former title challenger Steve Erceg.

The opening round started on an explosive note for the reigning champion, who immediately took the back of Kara-France. Pantoja dominated the entire round with his elite wrestling abilities.

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Despite being a bit slow in the second round, the Brazilian was successful in taking down Kara-France again in the third and submitted 'Don't Blink' with a tight rear-naked choke, extending his winning streak to eight fights.

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Pantoja now has 14 wins in the flyweight division, surpassing former champion Demetrious Johnson's record.

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Joshua Van, who is expected to challenge for the flyweight belt next, entered the octagon and faced off against Pantoja.

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About the author

Swagat is a dynamic MMA writer with a total experience of a little less than a year, which includes time in retail and sports journalism. He holds an MBA degree.

Swagat fell in love with the sport after watching the iconic grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in early 2015. Nate Diaz holds a special place in his heart for the Stockton native’s entertaining fan-friendly style and ability to deliver exciting fights regardless of the opponent.

In terms of rule changes in MMA, Swagat advocates for making scores public after each round, adding transparency to judging decisions.

Swagat prioritizes accuracy and relevance while writing and conducts thorough research to ensure the content is fresh and reliable.

He enjoys playing football and painting during his free time.

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Edited by Swagat Kumar Jena