Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France Round-by-Round updates: UFC 317: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France: Live round-by-round updates

A long-brewing rematch comes to a boil at UFC 317 as flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja defends his belt against Kai Kara-France in the co-main event. Almost a decade removed from their clash (exhibition bout) on The Ultimate Fighter Season 24, the stakes are higher than ever.

Since dethroning Brandon Moreno at UFC 290, Pantoja has successfully defended his title three times, including a clinical finish of Kai Asakura at UFC 310. Now 35, the Brazilian champion looks sharper than ever, with a ground game that can drown even the toughest contenders.

Kara-France, representing City Kickboxing, returns to title contention after falling short against Moreno for interim gold. He surged back with a TKO win against Steve Erceg and punched his ticket to a title shot.

The UFC 317 early prelims kickoff at 6:30 pm ET / 3:30 pm PT on ESPN+ and UFC FIGHT PASS. The prelims start at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT on ESPN and ESPN+ in the U.S. The main card goes live exclusively on ESPN+ PPV at 10 pm ET / 7 pm PT.

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Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for the live coverage and round-by-round updates:

Round 1

Pantoja storms forward and eats a couple of shots. He doesn’t care, shoots low, and drags Kara-France to the mat. He wastes no time and takes his opponent's bac. He starts peppering Kara-France with short shots while hunting the choke. Kara-France is trying to peel the hands but can’t shake him. Pantoja stays sticky. Kara-France rolls to escape and nearly gives up an arm-triangle. Pantoja flows to the mount. Pantoja is applying pressure as he bags this round.

Our Score: 10-9 Pantoja

Round 2

Pantoja opens with a sharp body kick and starts mixing in leg kicks. Kara-France stays cautious, but Pantoja closes the distance and once again brings him to the canvas. He takes the back with ease. This time, though, Kara-France defends well and scrambles back to his feet in under a minute. He starts letting his hands go but Pantoja is right there to answer with punches of his own.

Kara-France shoots for a takedown and Pantoja stuffs it. He immediately turns the tables. Kara-France escapes, resets, and digs a shot to the body. Pantoja keeps him at bay with a long right hand, then follows with a knee to the midsection. A clean front kick lands and forces Kara-France to retreat.

Our Score: 10-9 Pantoja (20-18 overall)

Round 3

Kara-France comes out aggressive, throwing punches as Pantoja closes the distance. Pantoja latches onto his back and starts dragging him down. Kara-France hits the mat and the body triangle is locked in again. Pantoja starts working for the choke and slides his arm under the chin and tightens the grip. Kara-France tries to peel the hands, but the squeeze only gets deeper. There’s nowhere to go. Pantoja finishes in classic fashion.

Official Result

Alexandre Pantoja defeats Kai-Kara France by submission (rear-naked choke) at the 1:55 mark of Round 3.

About the author

Abhishek Ramadasan Nambiar is a journalist who covers MMA at Sportskeeda. As a long-time practitioner of various martial arts, seeing the fusion of different forms into a quest for the ultimate fighter felt both primal and profoundly technical. At Sportskeeda, Abhishek's primary goal is to offer a fresh and distinctive angle through his writing, aiming to provide readers with more than just the basics of MMA. Along with keeping them informed about the latest developments in the sport, he strives to offer valuable insights that enhance their understanding of MMA.

When not writing about MMA, Abhishek often spends time reviewing music or devouring Brian Evanson's and Blake Crouch's work. Sign up to receive news, regular updates, and exclusive coverage.

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar