MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom goes in-depth to interrupt down the largest fights within the UFC. Immediately, he takes a better have a look at the UFC 305 co-main occasion between former flyweight title challengers Kai Kara-France and Steve Erceg.
Kai Kara-France UFC 305 preview
Staple information:
- File: 24-11 MMA, 7-4 UFC
- Peak: 5’4″ Age: 31 Weight: 125 lbs. Attain: 69″
- Final struggle: Resolution loss to Amir Albazi(June 3, 2023)
- Camp: Metropolis Kickboxing (New Zealand)
- Stance/placing fashion: Orthodox/kickboxing
- Danger administration: Good
Supplemental information:
+ Regional MMA accolades
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt
+ Junior New Zealand kickboxing title
+ Regional wrestling expertise (NZ)
+ 11 KO victories
+ 3 submission wins
+ 12 first-round finishes
+ KO energy
+ Strong feints and footwork
+ Correct shot choice
^ Works effectively off of a variating jab
+ Harmful proper hand
^ Coming ahead or off the counter
+ Good wrestling and scrambling capacity
^ Defensively and offensively
+ Glorious ground-and-pound
Steve Erceg UFC 305 preview
Staple information:
- File: 12-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC
- Peak: 5’8″ Age: 29 Weight: 125 lbs. Attain: 68″
- Final struggle: Resolution loss to Alexandre Pantoja (Could 4, 2024)
- Camp: Wilkes Martial Arts (Australia)
- Stance/placing fashion: Orthodox/muay Thai
- Danger administration: Good
Supplemental information:
+ Regional MMA titles
+ Jiu-jitsu black belt
+ Nationwide wrestling gold medal (Aus.)
+ Muay Thai state title
+ 2 KO victories
+ 6 submission wins
+ 5 first-round finishes
+ Constant tempo and strain
+ Educated lead hand
^ Jabs, hooks, timing change-ups
+ Nicely-rounded placing arsenal
+ Sturdy contained in the clinch
^ Sneaky elbows off frames
+ Strong wrestling and scrambling capacity
+ Good from front-headlock
^ Harmful submission in transition
Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg focal point: The price of counters
The co-main occasion for UFC 305 encompasses a flyweight showdown between two fighters who’re acquainted with the price of counters.
A well-rounded martial artist who’s clearly snug on the toes, Erceg poses threats in a number of phases.
Simply put some Steve Erceg movie research up on p*treon however as a preview this is some jabbing. pic.twitter.com/jsKfNIy8fe
— Miguel Class (@MigClass) Could 2, 2024
A big flyweight who isn’t afraid to struggle to his body, Erceg does an honest job of staying lengthy with a stable jab and lively kicking recreation.
Whether or not Erceg is trying to punish opponents down low with leg kicks or craftily come up excessive with query mark kicks, the 29-year-old challenger demonstrates glorious management of his decrease extremities.
Relating to his boxing recreation, Erceg exhibits an informed left hand that may supply change-ups in each his shot choice and timing. Contained in the clinch, Erceg provides the knees you’d count on from a fighter along with his top and can also be good about sneaking in elbows that he likes to fold over frames.
Though Erceg seems to do a few of his finest work when countering and sharpshooting from vary, he’s not past being caught upright off the counter himself in exchanges.
Enter Kara-France.
Initially beginning his martial arts journey on this planet of jiu-jitsu, Kara-France has steadily molded himself right into a savvy striker.
The New Zealand native at all times possessed his vaunted pace and energy, however we’ve actually seen Kara-France refine his recreation beneath the care of Eugene Bareman and the Metropolis Kickboxing crew.
Now, using rather more educated footwork and fakes, it’s not unusual to see Kara-France both feint his opposition’s guard misplaced when coming ahead or strolling them into kill photographs when going backward. The 31-year-old expertise additionally does a implausible job of variating his jabs, well switching up his speeds and targets as a way to arrange exhausting proper palms.
Nevertheless, I’ll be curious to see if Kara-France cabinets a few of his leg kicks given the potential counters and takedowns coming his means.
Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg breakdown: Potential grappling threats
Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Steve Erceg (crimson gloves) fights Alessandro Costa (blue gloves) throughout UFC 295 at Madison Sq. Backyard. Necessary Credit score: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports activities
Contemplating the potential for chaos on the toes, nobody must be shocked if these two find yourself tangling on the ground.
Erceg, akin to Alexander Volkanovski, can also be a nationwide wrestling gold medalist in Australia, just isn’t past switching gears and going for takedowns.
From double legs alongside the fence to reactive photographs within the open, Erceg seems to be a well-versed wrestler from a number of spots. And when opponents try and shoot in on Erceg, the Australian standout exhibits a powerful front-headlock that he’s capable of parlay into optimistic positions and potential chokes.
That stated, dictating wrestling phrases with Kara-France has turn out to be an more and more troublesome proposition throughout the latter phases of his UFC tenure.
Though Kara-France doesn’t come from part of the world that’s recognized for its wrestling, the New Zealander retains some stable wrestling expertise in his again pocket.
Offensively, Kara-France has a fast level-changing double that he can go to if he must floor his opponent. The 14-year professional isn’t utterly impervious from a defensive standpoint, however his scrambling greater than makes up the distinction for any perceived shortcomings.
In truth, one may argue that Kara-France, at this level in his profession, does significantly better towards fighters who’re attempting to grapple him.
For that purpose, I’ll be curious to see how a lot effort Erceg makes in regard to grappling – significantly after his final outing reverse Alexandre Pantoja the place his aggression in that division arguably value him the struggle.
Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg odds
The oddsmakers and the general public are favoring the Australian, itemizing Erceg -160 and Kara-France +130 through FanDuel.
Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg prediction, choose
Though I don’t disagree with who’s favored, I warning anybody utterly discounting Kara-France on this spot.
Except for the truth that this has the feels of a basic title-challenger letdown spot for Erceg (i.e. Dan Hardy dropping at dwelling to Carlos Condit submit his title effort reverse Georges St-Pierre), Kara-France is a battle-tested product who could possibly be primed to remind the lots about his expertise and expertise.
Moreover, Kara-France has solely misplaced to prime competitors within the UFC and arguably beat Amir Albazi his final trip. Add in the truth that Kara-France’s patent proper hand will carry additional efficiency on Erceg from a stylistic perspective, and nobody must be shocked if the New Zealander finds himself on the suitable facet of one other stoppage by strikes.
However for as tempted as I’m to formally facet with that consequence, I can’t assist however see simply as many – if no more – stylistic pitfalls on the opposite facet of this equation.
Dimension differential apart, I believe that Erceg’s lead hand might be significantly efficient on this struggle given Kara-France’s propensity to eat left-sided strikes (which is probably going because of the pure dipping of his fashion to stated facet).
Because of this, I particularly picked fighters with robust left-sided presences like Brandon Royval or Brandon Moreno to punish this behavior of Kara-France’s. Not solely does Erceg possess an honest arsenal from that facet, however the former title challenger can also be good about mixing in bodywork and uppercuts – which must also be extraordinarily efficient given Kara-France’s fashion and stature.
Couple that with Erceg’s killer instincts from the front-headlock place, and I odor a club-and-sub for the Aussie in Spherical 2.
Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg begin time, the place to observe
Because the co-main occasion, Kara-France and Erceg are anticipated to make their walks to the octagon at roughly midnight ET. The struggle streams dwell on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 305.
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