Flyweight

Kai Kara-France

Don't Blink

25-12

Age
33
Height
5'4"
Reach
5'9"
Stance
Orthodox
Camp
City Kickboxing
Out of
New Zealand
Style
striker
Fight IQ
C · 50
Finish rate
12%
Win rate
68%

Career methods

KO/TKO
4
Sub
3
Dec
18

FightMetric

SLpM

4.46

SApM

2.80

Str Acc

45%

Str Def

45%

TD Avg

0.56

TD Acc

30%

TD Def

50%

Sub Avg

0.00

Tape read

Pocket striker — suspect hips against the shot, porous pocket

Fight IQ

50C

Thin sample — 1 loaded UFC rows, 37 career fights for Kai Kara-France. Reaction and agility are wider intervals.

IQ

C

Ground

D

Defense

C

Counter

D

Reaction

proxy

D

Agility

proxy

D

TD react

D

Chin

B+

What they do well

  • Durability

    Standard UFC durability. Can be hurt, usually recovers if the shot is not clean.

Where they leak

  • Ground game

    Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain.

  • Takedown reaction

    A takedown magnet. Low TD defense plus submission losses — this is the hole a grappler builds a camp around.

  • Counter punching

    Limited counter threat. Opponents can miss without paying a finishing tax.

Scouting report

Kai Kara-France “Don't Blink” is a 33-year-old Orthodox flyweight out of New Zealand, camped at City Kickboxing. The tape read: pocket striker — suspect hips against the shot, porous pocket. Career mark 25-12-0 — 4 by KO/TKO, 3 by submission, 18 by decision. Fight IQ grades C (50).

What works. Durability is the standout at 78 (B+). Standard UFC durability. Can be hurt, usually recovers if the shot is not clean. Ground game D on 0.56 TD/15 and 0.00 sub attempts. Striking defense C at 45% / 2.80 SApM. Counter punching D; punching agility D (output × accuracy × age curve). Takedown reaction D on 50% TD defense. These are tape proxies — not lab reaction times — built from FightMetric rates, finish shares, and 1 loaded UFC rows.

Where it breaks. Ground game is the soft spot (21, D). Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain. Opponents who force wrestling and keep the fight on the fence have historically been the ones who make this résumé leak. Losses lean decision more often than a highlight — the issue is usually control of minutes, not a glass jaw.

Recent tape (1 bouts): L Pantoja (Submission R3). Form index negative over the last 1. Most of the loaded finishes happen before the deep water.

Ground game

21 D

Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain.

  • 0.56 takedowns / 15 at 30% accuracy
  • 0.00 submission attempts / 15 · 3 career sub wins

Striking defense

53 C

Eats more than a championship pocket should. High SApM or a porous guard will get taxed against power.

  • 45% striking defense · 2.80 SApM
  • 0 KO/TKO losses in 12 defeats

Counter punching

29 D

Limited counter threat. Opponents can miss without paying a finishing tax.

  • 45% accuracy on 4.46 SLpM
  • 0.00 knockdowns / 15 · 4 KO/TKO wins

Timing & reaction

36 D

Late on the read. High absorb or a leaking TD defense suggests the first move often belongs to the opponent.

  • Str def 45% · TD def 50% — the two read-and-react rates
  • 2.80 shots absorbed / min (lower = sees it earlier)

Punching agility

48 D

Heavy or economical. Combinations are chosen, not sprayed — opponents can time the entries.

  • 4.46 SLpM at 45% — output with cleanliness
  • Throws without paying full retail: 2.80 SApM

Takedown reaction

24 D

A takedown magnet. Low TD defense plus submission losses — this is the hole a grappler builds a camp around.

  • 50% takedown defense — the live reaction to level changes
  • 4 submission losses (once the fight hits the mat)

Durability

78 B+

Standard UFC durability. Can be hurt, usually recovers if the shot is not clean.

  • 0 times finished by strikes in 12 losses
  • 18 decision wins — proof they last and still score

Fight history

DateOpponentResMethodRndSig
Jun 29, 2025Alexandre PantojaLSubmission3 1:5538/67