hero-image

"He looks awesome... against Figueiredo" - Chael Sonnen explains why he picks Kai-Kara France to beat Brandon Moreno at UFC 277

Chael Sonnen (L), Brandon Moreno (M), and Kai Kara-France (R) [ Image credits: Getty Images and @kaikarafrance /Instagram ]
Chael Sonnen (L), Brandon Moreno (M), and Kai Kara-France (R) [ Image credits: Getty Images and @kaikarafrance /Instagram ]

In an episode of Beyond The Fight, Chael Sonnen revealed a take he believes to be original. 'The Bad Guy' stated his belief that Brandon Moreno may not be the greatest fighter in the flyweight division, but rather specifically a matchup problem for Deiveson Figueiredo.

Sonnen believes that this matchup is why Moreno has looked so good and that the former flyweight champion will not fare as well against the division's other top contenders. This is the pivotal reason why he is picking Kai Kara-France to defeat Moreno on Saturday night.

In regards to the Kara-France vs. Moreno bout, 'Uncle Chael' said:

"I really do want to bring this front and center — you can't get this anywhere guys. Nobody is telling you this anywhere... I make a really interesting point when I tell you [Brandon Moreno] looks awesome against Figueiredo. Is it a match-up issue?"

Chael Sonnen went on to further his point by questioning whether Moreno could accomplish the same accolades that Kara-France has achieved. 'The Bad Guy' utilized 'MMA math' to prove his point, which he claims works. Sonnen pointed towards one of Kara-France's recent victories, stating:

"People love to say 'MMA math' doesn't work. 'MMA math' works every damn day. Every damn day, it works. Do you believe that Moreno could stop Cody Garbrandt? Do you believe that he could stop him in the first round? Just a question, just throwing it at you.

Whether Sonnen's deduction is correct can only be determined Saturday night when the two face off for the UFC's interim flyweight title. It seems that 'The Bad Guy' won't be the only one with eyes on the bout, as Deiveson Figueiredo recently posted a picture from Dallas, Texas, signaling that he will be in attendance at UFC 277.

View this post on Instagram

Instagram Post


Chael Sonnen is very excited for Moreno vs. Kara-France: "This is the fight"

'The Bad Guy' admits he doesn't often get excited for the smaller competitors in the UFC's flyweight division, yet he referred to this upcoming match-up as "a treat." Before going on to explain why, Sonnen took the opportunity to thank both fighters, stating:

"My official prediction: Brandon Moreno, Kai Kara-France. First off, thank you. I mean, honest-to-goodness this is the unexpected treat of this division for a number of different reasons. This is the fight. I don't get real excited for 125 pound fights.

Chael Sonnen himself competed mostly at middleweight and light-heavyweight during his MMA career, so it isn't surprising that he might be a bit bias towards the bigger men. However, for him to heap such praise on the match-up speaks volumes to the potential of this bout. Hopefully, it will deliver and set up an epic main event on Saturday night.

You can watch the full episode of Beyond The Fight below:

You may also like