UFC Fight Night Tips: Kara-France vs Albazi

<p>After a week off to showcase the Road to UFC in Shanghai, the UFC is back.</p> <p>Top 10 flyweight contenders Kai Kara France and Amir Albazi take centre stage this Sunday in a battle that could earn the winner a position as #1 contender for the throne. We’ve also got Jim Miller returning to the Octagon for the <em>42nd</em> time and Aussie Jamie Mullarkey looking to continue his run of good form against Guram Kutateladze.</p> <p>Check out below for a breakdown of each fight and how we think each bout will come to an end.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>UFC Fight Night Tips</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Jamie Mullarkey vs. Muhammadjon Naimov</h3> <p><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/ufc-mma/ufc-matches/jamie-mullarkey-v-muhammadjon-naimov-7398613">Bet Here</a></p> <p>We kick things off with a Lightweight bout between Central Coast boy Jamie Mullarkey and Muhammadjon Naimov, after Guram Kutateladze who was originally scheduled to fight Mullarkey backed out of the fight for an undisclosed reason. Mullarkey is the veteran here with UFC experience and he’s entering on a hot streak, winning 4 of his last 5.</p> <p>Naimov is a bit of an unknown. He’s 8-2 in his career and will be making his UFC debut with only 5 days’ notice.&nbsp;Given the short turnaround we fully expect Mullarkey to get the win here against an unseasoned and unprepared opponent. &nbsp;</p> <p>Naimov has only 2 losses to his name, and both have been via decision. If you cast your mind back to Mullarkey’s infamous fight against Brad Riddell in the UFC 243 undercard, you know he’s got the chin to last 3 rounds,&nbsp;&nbsp;so we fully expect this one to go the distance.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> Fight to go the distance</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Karine Silva vs. Ketlen Souza</h3> <p><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/ufc-mma/ufc-fight-night-kara-france-v-albazi/karine-silva-v-ketlen-souza-7367933">Bet Here</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>“Killer” Karina Silva takes on Ketlen Souza in this main card flyweight bout. Silva enters on a 6-fight win streak (2-0 in the UFC) while Souza is 13-3 and makes her UFC debut. Karine Silva is 15-4 in her career and in those 19 fights, only one has gone the distance.</p> <p>The same cant be said for Souza who’s last 3 wins have all been by decision.</p> <p>Silva should come out swinging here and we think she’ll get the KO finish within the 3 rounds.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> Karine Silva to Win via KO</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Tim Elliott vs. Victor Altamirano</h3> <p><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/ufc-mma/ufc-fight-night-kara-france-v-albazi/tim-elliott-v-victor-altamirano-7367934">Bet Here</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Another flyweight battle on the main card see’s Tim Elliot take on DWCS grad Victor Altamirano.</p> <p>Altamirano has won his last two fights in the UFC with his most recent being in March, so he’s had a quick turnaround. Elliot on the other hand is coming off a 14-month break after a win against Tagir Ulanbekov in March 2022.</p> <p>While Elliot is the journeyman, he’s not one to be overlooked and he has some of the best grappling in the division. It’s an interesting match up with Altamirano which gives Elliot the advantage. Altamirano has been taken down 8 times in his UFC career so far and most of his fights end up with him grappling on the ground.</p> <p>This should be relatively easy for Tim Elliot if he sticks to what he’s good at. As long as he pushes takedowns and ground control the 36-year-old should walk away with the win.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> Tim Elliot to Win via Decision</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Jim Miller vs. Jared Gordon</h3> <p><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/ufc-mma/ufc-fight-night-kara-france-v-albazi/jared-gordon-v-jim-miller-7389612">Bet Here</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Veteran warriors battle it out in this lightweight affair which see’s UFC legend and UFC appearance AND win record holder Jim Miller take on UFC stalwart Jared “Flash” Gordon.</p> <p>Miller is looking to get back into the winner’s circle after a disappointing loss to Alexander Hernandez in what was an absolute battle. Even though he’s 39, Miller isn’t looking to stop anytime soon and he had a nice 3-win streak to his name before his decision loss.</p> <p>“Flash” Gordon is entering off the back of some disappointing bouts, with a controversial decision loss to rising star Paddy Pimblett and a No Contest decision against Bobby Green due to a clash of heads.</p> <p>As he’s apt to do, Miller will lower his eyes and want to trade hands in the 1st round and if he’s lucky he might be able to catch Gordon cold, who’s still recovering from his head clash with Bobby Green. If this fight makes it past the 1st round which we think it will, then Gordon has the wrestling ability and the endurance to take control and get the win.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> Jared Gordon to Win</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Alex Caceres vs. Daniel Pineda</h3> <p><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/ufc-mma/ufc-fight-night-kara-france-v-albazi/alex-caceres-v-daniel-pineda-7367938">Bet Here</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>If you look at Daniel Pineda’s record it isn’t pretty. “The Pit” has 3 No Contests in his last 6 fights after two of his fights were overturned due to a failed drug test and another due to an accidental eye-poke. He’ll be looking to bounce back in what will be his 5th UFC fight.</p> <p>Alex Caceres will be raring to go off the back of his KO victory against Julian Erosa in January last year. Before that he copped a decision loss against Sadiq Yusuf which broke a 5-win run. Its common knowledge that Caceres hasn’t got the best submission defence in the division. Of his 13 losses, 7 have come via submission. Daniel Pineda on the other hand is a well-known submission artist with 19 of his 28 wins coming via submission.</p> <p>It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what we’re trying to get at.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> Daniel Pineda by Submission</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Kai Kara France vs. Amir Albazi</h3> <p><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/ufc-mma/ufc-fight-night-kara-france-v-albazi/kai-kara-france-v-amir-albazi-7367940">Bet Here</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Finally, we get to the main event of the evening. New Zealand local Kai Kara-France taking on the highly touted prospect Amir Albazi in a 5-round flyweight war to determine the next contender for the flyweight throne.</p> <p>Kai-Kara France fell agonizingly short of earning the interim belt after a KO loss to Brandon Moreno in the 3rd round at UFC 277. He’ll be looking to bounce back here against Albazi who’s 4-0 in the UFC and expected to do big things in the octagon.</p> <p>Albazi is considered by many to be the favourite given his potential but don’t let that discredit Kara-France. He’s been a threat in this division ever since he competed on The Ultimate Fighter, and he’s been competing against top #5 fighters for years. &nbsp;</p> <p>We think Albazi is getting too big for his boots here and Kai Kara-France will knock him down a peg but when it happens is the question.</p> <p>Neither fighter has gone past 3 rounds in their career so it will be interesting to see what happens if this fight makes it to the championship rounds.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> Kai Kara-France to Win via KO</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Not avaliable in SA.&nbsp;</em></p>