Kai Kara-France ruined Cody Garbrandt’s flyweight debut tonight at UFC 269 as he floored him multiple times on his way to a first round TKO victory.
Round One:
Calf kick from Garbrandt to start. Now a jab. Back to the calf kick. Garbrandt sweeps into a calf kick.
Now lateral movement from Garbrandt as Kara-France keeps his distance. Leg kick attempt from Kara-France. He lands one and Garbrandt looks for counter punches.
Body kick for Kara-France. Inside leg kick for him and Garbrandt responds with a punch. Heavy right hand from Kara-France and Garrandt falls hard to the mat.
Kara-France puts his hands up in celebration, but Garbrandt is scrambling back to his feet. Kara-France manages to land another big punch and Garbrandt is reeling as he stumbles to the mat and then gets up again and tries to work a takedown without much success.
Kara-France pressing forward as he looks to continue the onslaught. On shaky legs Garbrandt still beckons him forward, but that doesn’t seem like a great idea under the circumstances.
Garbrandt backed up against the cage and just trying to survive long enough to regain his bearings, but Kara-France has other plans. He unleashes a volley of punches that hurts Garbrandt again and then drops him one final time with a combo punctuated by an uppercut to seal a stunning first round TKO victory at the 3.21min mark.
That’s the kind of win that will take Kara-France’s career to the next level, but it’s an absolute disaster for Garbrandt who had retreated to flyweight after losing four of his last five fights at bantamweight, including three tough losses by strikes. Now he has another one to add to that list providing more evidence that the 30-year-old’s chin is badly compromised.
