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Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff Writer
The UFC is finalizing a flyweight matchup between Kai Kara-France and Manel Kape for UFC 293 in Sydney, multiple sources told ESPN.
The 125-pound bout will take place at UFC 293 on Sept. 10 inside Qudos Bank Arena. Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is expected to headline the card against the winner of a fight between Robert Whittaker and Dricus Du Plessis next month.
Kara-France (24-11) is a former title challenger, coming off a narrow split decision loss to Amir Albazi earlier this month. Kara-France fights out of Auckland, New Zealand and is still ranked No. 5 in the UFC, despite back-to-back losses.
He came up short in a vacant interim title fight against current titleholder Brandon Moreno last July. Prior to that loss, Kara-France had won three in a row.
Kape (18-6), who fights out of Las Vegas, has been surging up the flyweight rankings with impressive wins in his last three outings. Two of those were first-round finishes.
Moreno is scheduled to defend his title next against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 290 on July 8.