Watch: Kai Kara-France and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow chat backstage at UFC Columbus
Kai Kara-France ended Askar Askarov's undefeated run by pulling off an upset unanimous decision win at UFC Fight Night in Columbus. The event had a number of notable names attending the show, including Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
As Kara-France celebrated his win backstage, he was greeted by Burrow, who was waiting to congratulate the 29-year-old for his performance.
Watch Kai Kara-France and Joe Burrow link up backstage:
After his conversation with Burrow, Kara-France spoke with ESPN MMA's Megan Olivi and revealed that he was not familiar with the Bengals star quarterback. The flyweight contender told Olivi:
"I don’t really know when he came out to me. I was like, 'What’s up, bro? What’s your name?' They were like, 'He plays for the Cincinnati Bengals.' But he was a big fan. Now I love having new fans and I guess I better get to a game and watch him."
Catch Kai Kara-France's interaction with ESPN MMA below:
Kai Kara-France calls for a title shot after UFC Columbus win
After 15 minutes of riveting action, Kara-France extended his winning streak to three fights, while handing his opponent the first loss of his MMA career.
During the post-fight octagon interview, the New Zealander let it be known that he wants to take on the winner of the likely fourth meeting between Brandon Moreno and the flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo. 'Don't Blink' said:
"I know Brandon Moreno and [Deiveson] Figueiredo are fighting very soon. I want the next title shot."
Watch Kara-France's full post-fight octagon interview in the video below:
Prior to his decision win over Askarov, Kara-France had back-to-back victories over Cody Garbrandt and Rogerio Bontorin in 2021. Both the wins came via first-round finishes.
With his latest unanimous decision victory over the No.2-ranked Askar Askarov, the City Kickboxing product has further strengthened his claim for a title shot.
When the UFC fighter rankings update, Kara-France will likely take the No.2 spot on the list. The No.1 position is currently held by Brandon Morena, who lost the title against Deiveson Figueiredo in their trilogy bout at UFC 270 earlier this year.
There have been speculations that the pair will meet for a fourth time this summer, although nothing has been made official.