This past Saturday on the main card of UFC Columbus, we saw a pivotal matchup in the flyweight division. Top contenders Askar Askarov (14-1-1) and Kai Kara-France (24-9) battled it out as they looked to prove that they were ready for a title shot.
Entering the contest, Askarov was a huge betting favorite. The undefeated Russian was considered by some to be the best flyweight in the UFC. That being said, Kai Kara-France is no stranger to being the underdog and he wasn’t going to back down.
The first round went how many expected the fight to go. Askarov secured at takedown and really controlled Kara-France throughout the first. He almost secured a rear-naked choke on a few occasions.
However, Kara-France turned the tables in the second round at UFC Columbus. He was able to keep the fight standing and he landed some big shots on Askarov to steal away the momentum. The third round saw less action with both men having moments.
Watching live, I thought Askarov did enough, but all three judges gave the fight to Kara-France at UFC Columbus.
What’s next after UFC Columbus?
This win was Kara-France’s third straight win inside the octagon. After he lost to Brandon Royval on Fight Island in 2020, he’s turned things around in a massive way with three straight wins while he’s been a big betting underdog.
His last three wins have come against the previously unbeaten Askarov, Rogerio Bontorin, and former UFC champion Cody Garbrandt. Now, many think that he should be next for the flyweight title.
The current plan is for the UFC to have the fourth matchup between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno. They are targeting July for this fourth fight, however, Figueiredo said on Twitter that he would prefer to fight Kara-France.
I don’t see that happening and I believe the fourth fight will happen. With that, I would like to see the UFC put together a fight with Alexandre Pantoja and Kara-France perhaps on the same card as that fourth title fight.
Pantoja was supposed to get a shot at the title last year before he got injured. Kara-France is at the top of the division so why not have them fight to establish a true number one contender to take on the winner of Figgy – Moreno 4.