New Zealander Kai Kara France (right) lost the UFC 277 flyweight interim title bout against Brandon Moreno of Mexico.
A powerful kick to the body ended New Zealander Kai Kara-France’s hopes of beating Mexican Brandon Moreno in the UFC 277 interim flyweight title showdown in Dallas on Sunday.
The pair met in the co-main event for the belt and the opportunity to unify it against reigning champion Deiveson Figueiredo, who is injured.
But it wasn’t to be sweet revenge for Kara-France, who earlier in his career had suffered his first loss in the UFC octagon to the Mexican, after he received a powerful shot to his lower body and fell to the canvas in the third round.
Moreno then delivered a flurry of vicious blows which resulted in the fight awarded to the jubilant Moreno on a TKO.
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This fight was to be contested over a maximum of five rounds rather than the usual three, giving both men more time to stake their claim. For Kara-France it was a chance to possibly meet Figueiredo, who dethroned Moreno in January, in a unification belt later in the year, but the opportunity disappeared when Moreno delivered the bad news with his right foot.
Unable to stay on his feet, Kara-France collapsed and was immediately set upon by Moreno. The Mexican unleashed around a dozen punches on the New Zealander, who was unable to defend himself.
Earlier in the third round the tough-as-teak Kara-France had opened a cut beneath Moreno’s eye, which began to bleed profusely, with his elbow.
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Brandon Moreno (right) of Mexico knocks out Kai Kara-France of New Zealand in the third round of their flyweight interim title bout during UFC 277 at American Airlines Centre in Dallas.
Any hopes of him compounding his opponent’s misery, however, ended when he suffered the powerful shot to his body.
After a cautious start by both fighters, they warmed to their task in the second round and Kara-France could have been in trouble after Moreno ducked a high kick to pin him into the fence.
Kara-France quickly negotiated his way out of trouble by slipping out of his grip and at the end of the round he appeared calm and prepared for whatever the Mexican could throw at him.
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