Kai Kara-France has already booked his next fight, just two weeks after losing a controversial split decision in the main event of UFC Vegas 74.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto announced that Kara France will fight Manel Capy at UFC 293 in Sydney, Australia on September 10. Cara-France is coming into the match in a tag team fight after losing to Brandon Moreno and Amir Elbazy. Kape is on a three-way winning streak, and this will be his first fight of 2023 after two previous bookings for the flyweight fighter failed.
Many fans were rooting for Cara-France to win 49-46 in his latest fight, but were shocked when the judges’ scorecards read 48-47, 48-47, 47-48 in favor of Albazzi. Don’t Blink was clearly disappointed, but it was his City Kickboxing mates who really let him tear up over the “robbery” they witnessed.
“They rob you of your moment,” middleweight champ Yisrael Adesanya said after reading the decision. “They not only rob you of your money, but of your moment. Money comes and goes, but those moments, man. They rob you of your moment. What is that, it wasn’t even close.”
Kara France noted that the loss cost him a $100,000 win bonus and his place in the world rankings, but he seemed ready to move on.
A good one was added to UFC Sydney in September. No. 5 flyweight Kai Kara-France vs. No. 9 Manel Kape verbally agreed, sources say. Who do you have here? pic.twitter.com/0mrWmw4vnV
– Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) June 20, 2023
“I’m just on the next stage, and I’m trying not to get sucked into this, because it wastes energy for me. I’m not trying to be a bad sport and say, ‘Why me?’ I’ve never done that in my career. I’m going to move forward, to the next challenge.”
Manil Cap in Australia looks like a good challenge. We are here for that!
There aren’t a lot of fights booked for the Sydney pay-per-view yet. Israel Adesanya is expected to defend his title on the sheet. City Kickboxing teammate Carlos Ulberg will fight Jung Da-un in a light heavyweight clash. King will face Australian Casey O’Neill Vivian Araujo in the women’s flyweight division.