Kay Kara France and Amir Elbazy performed at UFC Vegas 74 The main event.
Two of the top 10 flyweights went toe-to-toe for the full 25 minutes Saturday night at APEX, but only one man managed to walk away with his hands up and a potential title opportunity in the future. Kai Kara-France and Albazi put together a five-round clinic that saw each fighter find their share of moments, but it was Kara-Frace who had the superior movement, allowing him to jump ahead early on the big hitting total.
While the Kiwis had amazing totals on their side, the Bazzi were arguably landing the biggest hits, making the scorecards relatively unpredictable after the first two rounds. “The Prince” managed to get things to the floor in the third round, taking back Kara France and hitting a body lock. With less than a minute left, Cara-France was able to fight back to his feet and get back into position, sliding into Albazy’s guard where he stayed for the last 30 seconds of the third.
With the fourth round incredibly close, both fighters walked out with a sense of urgency in the fifth and final round. Kara-France went on the offensive early on, prompting Albazzi to change levels and work for clearances but he was unable to take things to the ground. The final three minutes saw both fighters let go of their hands and give the fans in Las Vegas a show. By the time the final bell rang, Cara-France had swelled to a -400 favorite after landing 38 more significant strokes than the opponent, but did the judges see it that way?
The official score: Amir Elbazy def. Kai Kara-France via split decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)