Kai Kara-France is not sympathetic toward UFC flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo’s complaint that the promotion put up an interim belt too soon.
Kara-France agrees with UFC President Dana White that fighters fight, and fighters who don’t want to fight get left behind, champion or otherwise.
“Bro, you missed your shot,” said Kara-France, who at UFC 277 rematches Brandon Moreno for the interim UFC flyweight title, on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour. “Before the fight, you were saying, ‘I don’t want to fight Brandon because he’s been racist,’ and then he’s saying he’s injured. When the offer comes to you, even if you’re the champ, you do have a big say in the fight, but if you don’t want to fight, the UFC aren’t going to wait. That’s just how the business is. You’re there to fight. They will match you up .”
Figueiredo criticized MMA Fighting’s decision for an interim belt. He called it a “plastic award” and demanded more money in order to fight at flyweight where he has struggled with weight.
Kara-France said he expected to return to the octagon later this year after a conversation with UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard. When the promotion couldn’t book a fourth fight between Figueiredo and Moreno, however, he was ready when the call came to a fight.
“Battles are not going to be taken, so I was ready to fight whenever they were,” he stated. “This is how this fight game is – you’ve got to be ready to fight whenever. If you’re injured, then that gives you a little setback. It’s necessary to risk your life for the reward. And for Figueiredo, saying all these things and not really committing, that just shows he doesn’t really want to fight, even though he’s the champ.”
Figueiredo is currently recovering from two injuries and said that he would like to be promoted to the bantamweight, but that he was still open to making three appearances at flyweight. He questioned the matchup between Moreno, whom he is 1-1-1 against, and Kara-France.
“I’m not looking too far ahead, but once I get past Brandon, we can unify this,” said Kara-France, whose interim title bout takes place on July 30 at American Airlines Arena in Dallas. We just had the [George] Kambosas [Jr.] big fight at Marvel Stadium [in Melbourne];. I didn’t go, but I watched a few of my teammates and it was amazing to see Marvel packed again.
” We could unify his belt at Marvel Stadium in 2019, if he feels better and is healthy. The fight will happen. We haven’t fought each other yet, and this flyweight division’s so small, we will cross paths sooner or later – that’s if he doesn’t go up to bantamweight.”
But Kara-France doesn’t feel at all bad about taking the title opportunity left on the table.
” The division advances, and Brandon and I get to square off.” he stated. He said, “I believed Brandon had won their last fight. So in my eyes I’m fighting the best man and once Brandon is defeated, I’ll be able to fight Figgy and put his coach down.” They talk a lot.”
