Kai Kara-France: UFC Career, Record, Family and Current Status

Introduction

Kai Kara-France is a New Zealand professional mixed martial artist best known for competing in the UFC flyweight division. He has fought some of the strongest names at 125 pounds and has twice competed for UFC championship gold.

Born on March 26, 1993, the Auckland fighter built his career through events in several countries before reaching the UFC in 2018. His biggest victories include wins over Cody Garbrandt, Askar Askarov, and Steve Erceg.

As of August 2026, Kara-France is taking an extended break from active UFC competition. He has not announced a permanent retirement. His most recent fight was a UFC Flyweight Championship contest against Alexandre Pantoja in June 2025.

For readers searching for the latest answer about him, the important point is simple: Kai Kara-France remains a professional mixed martial artist, but he is currently on a planned break from competition.

Kai Kara-France Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Full professional name	Kai Kara-France
Date of birth	March 26, 1993
Age	33 as of August 2026
Nationality	New Zealand
Profession	Professional mixed martial artist
Division	Flyweight
Fighting weight	125 pounds
Team	City Kickboxing
Fighting base	Auckland, New Zealand
Nickname	Don’t Blink
Professional record	25 wins, 12 losses, 1 no contest
Knockout/TKO wins	12
Submission wins	3
UFC debut	December 2018
Current status	Taking a break from active competition

Early Life and Start in Martial Arts

Kai Kara-France has spoken publicly about being bullied when he was younger because of his small size.

Martial arts became an important part of his early development. His parents encouraged him to train partly to improve his confidence.

He eventually turned that interest into a professional career.

His first professional mixed martial arts contests came in 2010. Instead of developing only in New Zealand, he gained experience by competing internationally.

One major step came when he earned a training scholarship with Tiger Muay Thai in Thailand.

The opportunity allowed him to train in a serious professional environment while gaining experience across Asia and other regions.

His early journey was very different from that of a fighter who moved directly from local events into the UFC. He spent years building his record before receiving a place in the world’s largest MMA promotion.

The Ultimate Fighter

A major career opportunity arrived in 2016 when Kara-France appeared on season 24 of The Ultimate Fighter.

The season focused on flyweight competitors.

He quickly attracted attention when he stopped Terrence Mitchell in about 30 seconds during the first round. It was the only knockout recorded during that season of the tournament.

His next opponent was Alexandre Pantoja.

Pantoja defeated him by unanimous decision in the quarterfinals.

At the time, it was simply another important fight in Kara-France’s developing career. Nearly nine years later, the two men would meet again with the UFC Flyweight Championship on the line.

Appearing on The Ultimate Fighter did not immediately earn the New Zealander a permanent UFC position.

He continued fighting and winning before finally receiving his opportunity in 2018.

UFC Debut

Kara-France made his official UFC debut against Elias Garcia in Adelaide in December 2018.

He won the bout by unanimous decision.

The fight also earned Fight of the Night recognition, giving him an impressive beginning to his UFC career.

He followed that result with victories over Raulian Paiva and Mark De La Rosa.

Those performances helped establish him as a serious competitor in the flyweight division.

Brandon Moreno Fight

In December 2019, Kara-France faced Brandon Moreno.

Moreno won the contest by unanimous decision.

The result later became more important because Moreno went on to become a UFC flyweight champion.

The two would eventually meet for a second time, but their next contest would have much greater stakes.

Rise Through the UFC Flyweight Division

Kara-France continued competing against leading flyweight opponents.

In February 2020, he defeated Tyson Nam by unanimous decision in Auckland.

Later that year, he fought Brandon Royval at UFC 253. Royval won by submission, but the entertaining match received Fight of the Night recognition.

A major breakthrough followed in 2021.

Kara-France faced Rogério Bontorin at UFC 259. After surviving difficult grappling situations, he recovered and stopped Bontorin with punches in the opening round.

Then came one of the biggest victories of his career.

Cody Garbrandt Knockout

In December 2021, Kara-France faced former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt at UFC 269.

Garbrandt was a major name and had previously held UFC championship gold.

Kara-France stopped him in the first round.

The victory showed that the New Zealand fighter could perform against an internationally recognised former champion.

His performance also earned a UFC post-fight bonus.

Victory Over Askar Askarov

Another major test arrived in March 2022.

Kara-France fought Askar Askarov, who entered the contest without a professional defeat.

Askarov was known as a difficult grappling opponent.

Kara-France defended effectively and won the fight by unanimous decision.

The victory moved him closer to a championship opportunity.

It remains one of the most important results of his professional career.

First UFC Championship Fight

On July 30, 2022, Kara-France fought Brandon Moreno for the interim UFC Flyweight Championship at UFC 277.

It was their second meeting.

The contest was competitive before Moreno landed a powerful body kick in the third round.

Moreno won by technical knockout.

Despite the loss, the performance showed how far Kara-France had moved through the division. He had gone from trying to earn a permanent UFC opportunity to competing for championship gold.

The bout was also awarded Fight of the Night.

Amir Albazi Decision

Kara-France returned in June 2023 for a five-round main event against Amir Albazi.

Albazi officially won by split decision.

The judges’ scores were close, and the result became heavily debated within the MMA community because many observers believed Kara-France had done enough to win.

However, the official result remains an Albazi victory.

That distinction is important when discussing the fight. It may be described as a controversial decision, but it should not be recorded as an unofficial win for Kara-France.

Injury and Time Away

Kara-France was later scheduled to fight Manel Kape at UFC 293.

The bout did not happen because Kara-France suffered a concussion during training.

The injury forced him out of the event and contributed to a lengthy period away from competition.

He eventually returned in August 2024.

Steve Erceg Knockout

His comeback came against fellow leading flyweight Steve Erceg at UFC 305 in Perth.

Erceg had recently challenged for the UFC Flyweight Championship, making the fight a major test after Kara-France’s absence.

Kara-France produced one of his strongest performances.

He stopped Erceg with punches late in the first round.

The victory earned him a Performance of the Night award and quickly returned his name to the championship discussion.

It was another major result for a New Zealand fighter whose career had already included victories over several internationally recognised opponents.

Readers interested in similar athletes, sports figures, and stories connected with New Zealand can explore more coverage on NZBeat.

Second UFC Title Challenge

The victory over Erceg eventually helped Kara-France earn another championship opportunity.

On June 28, 2025, he challenged Alexandre Pantoja for the undisputed UFC Flyweight Championship at UFC 317.

The matchup carried an unusual history.

Pantoja had already defeated Kara-France during The Ultimate Fighter in 2016.

Their second meeting happened almost nine years later, this time on one of the biggest stages in mixed martial arts.

Pantoja successfully defended his title.

He submitted Kara-France with a rear-naked choke during the third round.

The defeat meant that Kara-France had now challenged for UFC championship gold twice: once for the interim title against Brandon Moreno and once for the undisputed championship against Pantoja.

Is Kai Kara-France Still Fighting?

Yes, but his current situation needs to be explained carefully.

Kara-France has not announced a permanent retirement.

In November 2025, his team confirmed that he planned to take approximately one year away from active competition.

He also left the UFC anti-doping testing pool during his break, which made him ineligible for the UFC rankings.

As of August 2026, his latest confirmed status remains an extended sabbatical from fighting.

No newer UFC contest appears on his professional record after the loss to Alexandre Pantoja in June 2025.

Therefore, articles should not describe him as retired unless he publicly announces that decision in the future.

Kai Kara-France Record

His verified professional record stands at:

25 wins, 12 losses, and 1 no contest.

His victories include:

• 12 wins by knockout or technical knockout
• 3 wins by submission
• Multiple victories by decision
• 13 first-round finishes

These numbers show that finishing fights has been an important part of his career, particularly through striking.

Fighting Style and City Kickboxing

Kara-France fights from an orthodox stance and is known mainly for his striking.

He is associated with City Kickboxing in Auckland.

The gym has become one of the most internationally recognised MMA teams from New Zealand and has also been home to fighters such as Israel Adesanya and Dan Hooker.

Training within that environment helped place Kara-France among a generation of New Zealand-based fighters competing at the highest levels of the UFC.

Wife and Family

Kara-France’s publicly confirmed wife is Chardae.

The couple have a son named Cobi, who was born in 2021.

Kara-France has discussed fatherhood publicly and has spoken about the importance of his family during his professional career.

There is no need to add private or unconfirmed family information beyond what he has publicly acknowledged.

Māori Heritage

Kara-France has also publicly highlighted his Māori heritage.

His cultural identity has become increasingly visible during UFC appearances and fight-week activities.

Ahead of his 2025 championship opportunity, his potential achievement carried added significance because he had the chance to become the first New Zealand-born athlete to win a UFC championship and a UFC champion of Māori heritage.

He did not win the title, but his championship appearances remain important milestones for New Zealand mixed martial arts.

Notable Career Achievements

Some of the most important confirmed achievements from his career include:

• Competing on The Ultimate Fighter 24
• Making his UFC debut in 2018
• Defeating Cody Garbrandt by first-round stoppage
• Defeating previously unbeaten Askar Askarov
• Knocking out Steve Erceg at UFC 305
• Challenging Brandon Moreno for the interim UFC Flyweight Championship
• Challenging Alexandre Pantoja for the undisputed UFC Flyweight Championship
• Winning multiple UFC performance bonuses
• Becoming one of New Zealand’s most prominent UFC flyweight competitors

Interesting Facts About Kai Kara-France

Kara-France’s road to the UFC included several unusual moments.

He once competed in a professional fight held on a cruise ship and won by knockout in only seconds.

Before joining the UFC permanently, he competed in numerous countries while developing his career.

His nickname, “Don’t Blink,” suits a fighter who has recorded many early finishes.

Another unusual part of his story is his long competitive connection with Alexandre Pantoja. Their first fight took place during The Ultimate Fighter in 2016, while their second meeting happened in a UFC world championship contest in 2025.

Where Is Kai Kara-France Now?

As of August 2026, Kara-France remains associated with professional mixed martial arts and City Kickboxing but is taking time away from active UFC competition.

His latest fight remains his UFC 317 championship contest against Alexandre Pantoja.

There has been no verified permanent retirement announcement.

His future therefore depends on whether he chooses to return after completing his planned break.

Until an official comeback fight or retirement is announced, the most accurate description is that he is on hiatus from active UFC competition.

Conclusion

Kai Kara-France built his career from international MMA events and training in Thailand to championship contests inside the UFC.

His journey includes major wins over Cody Garbrandt, Askar Askarov, and Steve Erceg, along with title challenges against Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja.

The Auckland-based flyweight has become an important name in New Zealand MMA while representing both his country and Māori heritage on the international stage.

As of August 2026, the 33-year-old has not retired. He is taking an extended break from competition after his June 2025 UFC title fight.

Whether he returns for another run at the flyweight division will depend on his next official announcement.