As the UFC continues to shape its fight card for UFC 293 in Sydney, it includes even more of New Zealand’s best MMA fighters preparing for another New Zealand takeover on September 10.
While light heavyweight contender Carlos “Black Jag” Ulberg (Tainui, Te Atiawa, Hāmoa) was the first fighter confirmed last month, this week alone has seen two more confirmations in the form of flyweight Kai Kara-France (Waikato, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Atiawa) and welterweight Michael Mathetha, more commonly known by his fight nickname Blood Diamond.
It’s a moderately quick turn-around for “Don’t Blink” Kara-France who lost a tight contest to Iraq’s Amir Albazi at the start of June via split decision. It was his first fight since losing his interim flyweight title opportunity against Brandon Moreno a year ago in Dallas, Texas.
No 5 ranked Kara-France meets No 8 ranked Angolan fighter Manel “Starboy” Kape in a three-rounder. Kape’s record sits at 3-2. but is on a three-fight win streak, most recently with a unanimous decision win over Davi Dvorak in December.
Diamond enters the UFC octagon for the third time, for the first since joining Kara-France on the Texas card last year in July. Despite two losses, he will look to get his first win when he meets newcomer Charlie “Chuck Buffalo” Radtke, who has a 5-3 record to take with him to his UFC debut.
