Prediction for the fight Askar Askarov vs Kai Kara-France

In 2019, a titled freestyle wrestler from Russia named Askar Askarov was signed to the UFC, almost immediately thrown under the elite of the flyweight division. However, this did not bother him at all, and in just a few performances he was able to break through to the very top of the rating table, forcing all the current stars of this category to retreat. And now, as part of the main card of UFC on ESPN 33, he will have to share the place of the main contender with Kai Cara-France.

The New Zealander is famous for his cannon right, and his track record also consists of significant names, although he was still inferior to some of them. In any case, these guys will be a serious test for each other, and on March 27, the next in line for a fight with Deiveson Figueredo or Brandon Moreno will be determined, depending on which of them will hold the title at that time.

• Askar Askarov vs Kai Kara-France;
• Kai Kara-France;
• Askar Askarov;
• Comparative analysis;
• Game Totals Prediction.

Askar Askarov vs Kai Kara-France

Kai Kara-France

At home, the 6th number of the rating became the champion of local leagues, and this is not at all surprising, because he trains in the same gym with Israel Adesanya and other UFC stars. Kai's collection could have had the title of the AFC organization, but he could not take it, but he became the best in KOZ, after which he appeared in Rizin, and the Chinese promotion WARS.

Initially, Cara France competed in the bantamweight division, but then moved down to the flyweight division, where he reached his full potential. By the way, he also took part in TUF, but could not get through the quarterfinals, but he fought with ex-champion Brandon Moreno, and also managed to kill several significant people who contributed to his promotion to the TOP.

Strengths

Exactly eleven finishes - so many opponents Kai sent into an unconscious state during his career. He always leads a tight attack, preparing his right, which ends the lion's share of combinations. Moreover, it works both as an overhand and as a neat hook.

Speed indicators and always raised hands allow this athlete not to take unnecessary damage, and despite the fact that he mainly hits from a medium distance, and also does not mind going into exchanges where a strong jaw is involved.

Kai has faced many elite parterists, experiencing serious problems in fights with them, but with the rest, so to speak, passing athletes, he manages to demonstrate excellent defense against takedowns. In addition, he counterattacks well without giving too much space to his opponents.

Weaknesses

If finishing Cara France on the ground is extremely difficult, but catching a submission is a doable task. Moreover, it is noteworthy that sometimes he fell for tricks by far from the best jitsers, which indicates a lack of understanding of the mechanism of work on the ground floor from protection.

The current form and readiness of the fighter

Kai is 28 years old, and his last performance dates back to December 2021, when ex-champion Cody Garbrandt fell to the hands of the New Zealander. Before that, Rogerio Bantorin was knocked out, and Tyson Nam was also passed, but two Brandons - Moreno and Royval, found the keys to defeating France. He is young, explosive, and has now achieved a balance in physical condition along with experience. And given the chance given to him to lead the title race, his motivation should be at its peak.

Askar Askarov

Before listing Askar's achievements in sports, let us recall that he occupies the 2nd line of the rating. A native of Khasavyurt twice became the champion of Russia in freestyle wrestling, then took 3rd place in the world, and won the Deaflympics, simultaneously earning the title of master of sports in combat sambo. In 2016, Askarov managed to win the DIA league belt, as well as prove himself in grappling competitions.

Speaking in Russian promotions, Askar remained undefeated, and only after moving to the big leagues did he face a draw for the first time in a fight with Brandon Moreno. And if earlier it was possible to call a Dagestani a typical representative of the wrestling caste, now his technique is becoming more diverse, and kicks and good combinations gradually appear there.

Strengths

Holding positions, the richest arsenal of pain and choking, an ideal understanding of working with his body, and turning off the opponent's strengths allow Askar to feel free in a horizontal position. He can be safely ranked among the best wrestlers in the division, but the Bullet's strengths do not end there.

Askarov still has room to grow as a drummer, but he is already, with his usual meticulousness, honing his stance, relying on accuracy and technicality. Hitting only at the right moment, preparing attacks, hiding them and confusing the enemy - all this starts to work better from time to time, and our athlete is rapidly turning into a universal machine for producing finishes.

Weaknesses

It is obvious that it is impossible to be perfect at such a high level. And Askar has disadvantages that he urgently needs to work on. First of all, this is defense, because throwing 3 hits, he misses 2 in response, if we take the average statistics. In addition, against the backdrop of a chic stalls, the efficiency of transfers is lame, because only 1 out of 3 attempts to get to the feet is brought to the goal. Otherwise, the Russian has a good balance.

The current form and readiness of the fighter

Askarov is 29 years old and has a UFC record of 3 wins and 1 draw. He convincingly passed burly Tim Elliott, Alexandre Pantozh and Joseph Benavidez last March. After that, the athlete was in a long downtime, which will definitely affect the pace of the fight in the first round. If we discard this minus, then everything else is fine with Askar - he is young, growing very quickly, and will definitely leave himself before the main step in his entire sports career.

Comparative analysis

In terms of size and anthropometry, no one catches stars from the sky in this pair, but Kai will have an advantage of 5 cm in arm span. It is unlikely that Askarov will tempt fate by trying to outshoot a long-armed opponent in the stance, who has more serious striking power, throws more punches and is noticeably better at boxing. Kara-France charges the low more often and dries the body with kicks. Simply put, Askar will have a hard time in exchanges at the crown medium distance, and he is unlikely to be able to breathe his opponent.

But at the zero level, the picture changes radically, because the Dagestan athlete got the lion's share of his victories precisely by exhausting the enemy with his tough struggle, which is complemented by a fleeting ground and poud, as well as an obsessive policy of submitting. Kai has a defensive shield while he is fresh, he manages to elude captures, but, in fairness, he finished three times before the equator of the meeting, because the "Bullet" has a good start to success. In terms of other indicators, the guys are about equal, they breathe well all 3 rounds, are light on their feet and are always in search of an early victory. The only thing is that Kai is more prone to cuts and risks, but in this case, such inclinations can work against him.

Askar Askarov vs Kai Kara-France Fight Prediction

Despite the impressive spread in the odds, there are many threats for Askar in this confrontation. He hasn't fought in over a year and is facing a guy whose punches have been a problem for some very serious fighters. In any case, our athlete will just need to work in the same mode, not to climb into someone else's field, in an attempt to prove something, and then all the advantages of Cara France will come to naught. That is why we expect a confident, dominant performance from Askarov, which will take place on the ground and end with another technique performed by him. Fortunately, he has everything for this, and Kai has convenient holes in the defense, which will be revealed during the meeting. The underdog has a chance of a good hit, however, it will melt faster every minute, so betting on this is too risky. Install the 1xbet app and place a bet on the favorite!

Prediction: Askar Askarov's victory