Kai Kara France to fight Raulian Paiva at UFC 234
Now that Kai Kara France is in the UFC, he’s looking to make the most of his time.
The 25-year-old New Zealander will once again compete in the Oceanic region when he meets Raulian Paiva in a flyweight bout at UFC 234, which takes place at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, on Feb. 10. MMA Fighting confirmed the bout with sources and France also announced it on Instagram following an initial report by Stuff.co.nz.
A cast member on The Ultimate Fighter 24, France made a successful UFC debut at UFC Adelaide, where he defeated Elias Garcia via unanimous decision. The bout earned both men a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus. France has won six straight bouts and holds an 18-7 (1 NC) pro record.
For Paiva, he will be making his first walk to the Octagon just three months after the tragic death of his girlfriend Tieli Alves.
Paiva, 23, earned a contract on the Brazilian edition of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series earlier this year, but actually considered retiring after he and Alves were struck by a car, resulting in Alves’s death. In 19 pro bouts, Paiva is 18-1 with notable wins over Allan Nascimento and UFC vet Iliarde Santos. He has won 12 straight bouts dating back to October 2015.
UFC 234 will be headlined by a middleweight title bout between champion Robert Whittaker and challenger Kelvin Gastelum.
With additional reporting by Guilherme Cruz