Kai-Kara France stayed perfect in the UFC and improved his win streak to eight with a unanimous decision win over Mark De La Rosa at UFC Shenzhen.
The flyweight division had life in it yet, as a couple of 125lb prospects threw down at UFC Shenzhen in Shenzhen, China on Saturday. American Mark De La Rosa was paired up with New Zealand’s Kai Kara-France, with the American looking to bounce back from a loss to Alex Perez in March. Kara-France, meanwhile, was on a seven fight win streak heading in, and perfect in the UFC.
De La Rosa and Kara-France circled one another early, each looking for an opening, or perhaps their opponent to make a move. The feeling out process went on through the first minute, until Kara-France landed a left hand. De La Rosa pushed him up against the fence, however, and cinched a body lock from the back. He’d try to hoist Kai Kara-France up for a takedown, but Kara-France fought it off. Kara-France then turned the tables and slammed De La Rosa down! De La Rosa scrambled out, but Kara-France had sent a clear message: he wouldn’t be easily controlled. Later in the round, De La Rosa fired off a combination that had him landing more than once. Kara-France’s right hand was also landing. De La Rosa blocked a high kick, and they’d battle it out til the end of the frame.
A right hand rocked and dropped De La Rosa to open the second! De La Rosa would recover, and make it back up, but moments later, Kai Kara-France kicked his leg out from under him. Kara-France was keeping the fight standing, recognizing that he had an edge in the standup department. Inside and outside leg kicks followed. As the round progressed, they exchange combinations, and Kara-France would add head kicks, and even a cartwheel kick. Kara-France, however, would also take some damage of his own, bloodied below the eye.
De La Rosa was pressing the action early in the third. After being dropped in the second, he’d apparently recovered well enough to eat a heavy right. De La Rosa fired back, launching punches in bunches. Kara-France connected to the body with a kick, and De La Rosa backed up to the fence, covering up! He was hurt, ate a volley of punches, and waved Kara-France in, asking for more! Kara-France obliged with a jump knee, but De La Rosa bought enough time to get his breath back after the body kick. The show went on, De La Rosa bloodied, but still trading. Kara-France chopped away at his opponent’s legs, then went back to the body with a third kick.
When the dust settled, Kai Kara-France remained perfect in the UFC, moving to eight straight victories overall with a unanimous decision win.
Kai-Kara France def. Mark De La Rosa by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
