Report: Moreno vs. Kara-France set for interim flyweight title at UFC 277
The UFC finalized an agreement for an interim flyweight title fight between Brandon Moreno and Kai Kara-France at UFC 277 on July 30, sources told Brett Okamoto of ESPN.
The location and venue for the card haven't been determined, but Dallas is the front-runner to host the event, sources told MMA reporter Ariel Helwani.
The initial plan was for Deiveson Figueiredo to fight Moreno for a fourth time, but the current flyweight champion is nursing an injured thumb, Helwani reports.
Moreno (19-6-2) is looking to climb back to the top of the 125-pound division following his unanimous decision loss to Figueiredo at UFC 270 in January. It marked the third consecutive bout between the rivals, with Moreno earning a draw in their initial encounter at UFC 256 before defeating the Brazilian via submission in the rematch at UFC 263.
Kara-France (24-9) will enter the Octagon on a three-fight winning streak. He earned a decision win over Askar Askarov in March after recording finishes against Cody Garbrandt and Rogerio Bontorin. The New Zealander is the No. 2-ranked flyweight behind Moreno.
A rematch between women's bantamweight champion Julianna Pena and Amanda Nunes is expected to be added to the cards, according to Helwani.