UFC 305 will take place on August 17 in Perth, Australia. The co-main event will feature a bout between regional heroes. After 343 days, New Zealand boxer Kai Kara-France returns to the octagon, recovering from a concussion that nixed his September fight against Manel Kape. Kara-France will face Perth’s very own Steve Erceg, as he looks to avenge his title fight loss.
Erceg made it clear he wanted to be on the hometown fight card after his loss, but also mentioned he was disappointed to encounter the opponent picked for him.
“I’m excited to fight a good guy but I would have preferred it to not be someone from this region. He is somebody I looked up to for a while… I would have liked to avoid him if I could, but it got offered and I’m not going to turn anyone down. We will find out who the better guy is,” Erceg said.
Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg: Tale of The Tape
| Kai ‘Don’t Blink’ Kara-France | Steve ‘Astroboy’ Erceg | |
| 24-11-0 (1NC) | Record | 12-2-0 |
| 7-4 | UFC Record | 3-1 |
| 31 | Age | 29 |
| 5’4″ | Height | 5’8″ |
| 69″ | Reach | 68″ |
| City Kickboxing | Team | Wilkes Martial Arts |
| Orthodox | Fighting Stance | Orthodox |
| 2L | Streak | 1L |
Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg: Statistical Analysis
| Kai Kara-France | Steve Erceg | |
| 4.57 | Significant Strikes Landed per Minute | 4.52 |
| 39% | Striking Accuracy | 49% |
| 3.24 | Significant Strikes Absorbed per Minute | 4.2 |
| 65% | Striking Defense | 52% |
| 0.63 | Takedown Average | 1.24 |
| 33% | Takedown Accuracy | 26% |
| 88% | Takedown Defense | 60% |
| .5 per 15 mins | Submission Average | 0.3 per 15 mins |
| 13:03 | Average Fight Time | 15:07 |
Kai Kara-France’s Last UFC Fight
Kai Kara-France’s last UFC bout took place against Amir Albazi over a year ago. France narrowly lost by split decision after a five close rounds. Kara-France displayed a high work rate, throwing 323 strikes and landing 133 of them. Albazi, while more reserved with his output, was efficient with his strikes, landing 64 out of 173 attempts.
In terms of significant strikes, Kara-France connected on 99 out of 283, while Albazi landed 43 out of 145, showing a slight difference in accuracy. Both fighters focused on head strikes, with Albazi succeeding 31 times out of 125 attempts, and Kara-France connecting on 57 out of 224. Notably, 90% of the significant strikes from both fighters were landed from a distance.
Ultimately Albazi’s precision and of course the judges’ decision made the difference in the end. The stats highlight just how evenly matched the fighters were throughout the fight.
Steve Erceg’s Last UFC Fight
Steve Erceg burst onto the scene with statement wins quickly, securing him a title shot against Alexandre Pantoja in his fourth fight. Pantoja secured a unanimous decision victory after five rounds, retaining his belt.
Throughout the fight, Pantoja displayed precision, landing 76% of his significant strikes from distance. Erceg, however, was even more accurate from his range, connecting on an impressive 96% of his significant strikes from afar. Erceg managed to land 111 out of 212 significant strikes overall, with 87 of 181 aimed at Pantoja’s head. Pantoja, in turn, connected on 125 out of 242 significant strikes, focusing 75 of his 184 head strikes on Erceg.
When considering total strikes, Pantoja slightly outworked Erceg, landing 143 out of 262 attempts. Erceg wasn’t far behind, successfully landing 129 out of the 233 total strikes he threw, highlighting a competitive and closely matched UFC bout.
What to Expect from UFC 305: Kara-France vs. Erceg
According to Steve Erceg, the UFC 305 fight will be dependent on the hands.
“I think I match up well. He is a good striker; he sets up his power strikes well and has good takedown defense. I think I have more weapons and am dangerous in more areas. Over the course of the fight, I will show that and will come away from the victory… I think we are both going to try to kill each other, and I will put one on his chin,” Erceg claimed.
As both fighters aim to get themselves into a UFC title fight, a knockout on the biggest stage would certainly assist in that effort.
“I think I will be put into the Top Five, and I think at least one more after this fight will get me back to a title shot. I think it’s likely the winner of Tatsuro Taira vs. Brandon Royval who will get a title shot,” Erceg concluded.
A ‘stand and bang’ fight would favor the New Zealand boxer Kai Kara-France, though Steve Erceg’s height advantage could be the ‘X-factor’ if he lands timely strikes. Given these fighters’ histories of avoiding getting knocked out, the fight could boil down to a bloody decision by the judges.
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