The time has finally come for our UFC Main Event prediction and pick as ranked fighters in the Flyweight (125 lb) Division square off in a pivotal matchup. No. 3 ranked Kai Kara-France of City Kickboxing will take on Iraq's phenom No. 7 ranked Amir Albazi. This fight has all the makings to be an instant classic! Check out our UFC odds series for our Kara-France-Albazi prediction and pick.
Kai Kara-France is 24-10 as a mixed martial artist and has gone 7-3 in the UFC since his arrival in 2018. Kara-France has put away some of the top-level competition of the Bantamweight Division, with two of his three losses coming to the now-champion Brandon Moreno. Kara-France was downed by Moreno in his title opportunity when a body kick sealed his fate. Now, Kara-France looked to put away a title contender and call his shot for the belt once again. He stands 5'4″ with a 66.5-inch reach.
Amir Albazi is 16-1 as a professional fighter and is undefeated in the UFC at 4-0. He's made a rapid rise to the top-10 rankings and has finished three of his four appearances. In those four short fights, Albazi has been able to win by unanimous decision, knockout, and two submissions. He's looking like the next boogeyman at Flyweight and a win over Kara-France would effectively put him in immediate title talks. Albazi stands 5'5″ with a 68-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC Las Vegas Odds: Kai Kara-France-Amir Albazi Odds
Kai Kara-France: -115
Amir Albazi: -111
Over (3.5) rounds: -158
Under (3.5) rounds: +124
How to Watch Kai Kara-France vs. Amir Albazi
TV: ESPN, ESPN+
Stream: ESPN App, UFC Fight Pass, fuboTV
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Kai Kara-France Will Win
Kai Kara-France looked every bit of a worthy title challenger coming into his fight with Brandon Moreno for the Interim title. He has a tremendously well-balanced and rounded game. His striking is extremely crisp and he takes little damage in return. He's also a very athletic grappler and can win position battles in the wrestling scrambles. On the ground, Kara-France is very aggressive and will look to land ground-and-pound over position. He also has a mixed-bag of arsenals when it comes to his submission game.
To win this fight, Kara-France will have to be very defensively-minded and not open himself up to a striker like Albazi. He'll have to protect his body after the damage he sustained in his last loss, but Kara-France should look to tie Albazi up in the clinch nonetheless. From there, Kara-France can look to land shots inside or work the takedown and tire Albazi out. We've seen Albazi's gas tank waver in the past, so look for Kara-France to turn up the heat in the later rounds. The longer this fight goes, the more it will favor the Aussie.
Why Amir Albazi Will Win
Amir Albazi comes into this fight as one of the more powerful and simultaneously technical strikers in the division. He snaps his shots with great strength and has pinpoint accuracy in his shots. He's extremely active with his leg kicks and will pepper opponents to the body and legs relentlessly. Albazi also has a deep background in wrestling and feels more than comfortable dictating the fight on the mats. If he's aggressive with his shots, he could be the one controlling the wrestling with his strength advantage over Kara-France. Amir Albazi should look to overwhelm Kara-France from the opening round as he tries to knock him off his rhythm.
Albazi can win this fight if he stays patient and lands his power shots with accuracy. Kara-France has a solid chin and will be dangerous at all points of this fight. Albazi will have to string together a clean combination of attacks if he wants to finish Kara-France, who's only been finished twice. Look for Albazi to be aggressive from the jump. Kara-France struggles when on his back foot, so it'd be smart for Albazi to pressure him early and often while working the leg kicks.
Final Kai Kara-France-Amir Albazi Prediction & Pick
Kara-France ran through the Flyweight Division with relative ease, but it didn't come without a price. His last loss to Brandon Moreno was especially significant because of the way he was knocked out. A body-shot KO could have the most seasoned strikers paranoid, so Kara-France may be weary against the kicks of Albazi. If Albazi comes out aggressive, he should be able to overwhelm Kara-France with his output.
For the prediction, let's go with Amir Albazi to get the win here. I suspect these two fighters will play a methodical mind game for five rounds as they feel each other out. The striking will be very high-level and the stakes with be even higher with the ability both men have to sit their opponent down. Albazi hits harder and is more aggressive. If Kara-France doesn't come up with answers on how to stop Albazi's initial onslaught, he could be in for a long night.
Final Kai Kara-France-Amir Albazi Prediction & Pick: Amir Albazi (-111); OVER 3.5 Rounds (-158)
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