Kai Kara-France got back on the winning trail with a fun win over Tyson Nam at UFC Auckland.
Flyweight action at UFC Auckland saw eighth-ranked 125-pounder Kai Kara-France taking on the unranked Tyson Nam. A rather interesting notion, given that only 14 flyweights had numbers next to their name heading into the weekend. Why Nam (or another deserving fighter) didn’t already qualify for that 15th spot was a question. A bigger question was whether Nam could overcome City Kickboxing’s Kara-France at home.
Kai Kara-France opened up with some heavy pressure and looping hooks to get in on his taller foe. Nam attempted to keep Kara-France on the backfoot by throwing his jab out, and Kara-France responded by throwing some jabs of his own to get into range. France landed a stiff kick to the body and went upstairs with a right hand. Nam tried to get into the clinch, but Kara-France quickly circled off and landed an elbow. Nam and Kara-France both landed right hands, but Nam’s seemed to have more power on it. Nam landed a stiff left hook that might’ve rocked Kara-France and silenced the crowd. Kara-France got on his bike and looked to survive, and Nam looked for a takedown that Kara-France fought off. Kara-France landed a right hand on the break, and Nam responded with a head kick that sent the fight to the second round.
Kara-France went for a cartwheel kick to open the second round, and Nam was having none of it. Nam continually threw his jab out to open out the right hand, but he was having difficulty finding it. Kara-France went for a takedown but Nam stuffed it, however, Kara-France landed a phenomenal combination on the break. Nam burst forward and Kara-France landed two left hooks moving backward. Nam ate the strikes and started pushing the pressure against Kara-France, he threw a nice right hand that landed. Kara-France began working behind his jab and was doing a great job of moving out of the way of Nam’s winging strikes. We soon headed to a third round.
Nam opened up the third round with a nice combination as Kara-France was moving backward. Kara-France went for a takedown but Nam had a beautiful sprawl and kept the fight on the feet. Kara-France landed on Nam and may have stunned him. Kara-France started landing combinations but Nam didn’t go anywhere. Kara-France landed a clean jab that snapped back the head of Nam and a low-kick that echoed around the arena. Nam attempted to get the fight into the clinch, but Kara-France wiggled free. Nam got frustrated and started barreling forward to land strikes but Kara-France was moving just out of the way. Kara-France briefly got a takedown, but Nam got up and got a quick takedown of his own. Kara-France worked out of it, and Nam threw a kick on the break that got blocked. We then headed to the scorecards in a great flyweight fight.
Kai Kara-France def. Tyson Nam via Unanimous Decision (30-27 x3)
