Rivals collide with gold on the line when Dricus du Plessis defends the UFC middleweight title against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305. The event is in Perth, Australia.
Du Plessis has nine wins via knockout and ten via submission in his MMA career. The former EFC and KSW welterweight champion became the first South African medalist at the WAKO World Championships. He beat former champion Robert Whittaker for a shot at champion Sean Strickland. The 30-year-old beat Strickland for the belt following a mixed bag of scorecards.
Adesanya, a former kickboxer, is a two-time UFC middleweight champion, beating Whittaker for the belt in Melbourne. “The Last Stylebender” lost it against Alex Pereira but beat his rival in his next fight to win it back. Adesanya has been inactive following a lackluster performance against Strickland in September, losing the title via unanimous decision.
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They've been calling each other out for a while now. Adesanya, the New Zealander born in Nigeria, took exception to du Plessis saying he would be the first fighter who lives and trains in Africa to hold a UFC belt. A matchup was teased but never got booked. Now, the grudge fight will finally come to fruition.
“The SUN of Africa is the same sun that lights up our planet,” Adesanya wrote on Instagram. “The SUN will set and will rise again until you walk into it. The SUN, enjoy while it shines. Darkness falls when it’s gone.”
Here’s what we know about UFC 305, including the card, odds, rumors, latest news, and more.
UFC 305 fight card, odds
Bouts and order subject to change
- Dricus du Plessis (c) vs. Israel Adesanya for the UFC middleweight title
- Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg; flyweight
- Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker; lightweight
- Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik; heavyweight
- Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates; welterweight
- Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker; heavyweight
- Josh Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos; featherweight
- Casey O'Neill vs. Luana Santos; flyweight
- Jack Jenkins vs. Herbert Burns; featherweight
- Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes; lightweight
- Song Kenan vs. Ricky Glenn; welterweight
- Stewart Nicoll vs. Jesus Aguilar; flyweight
*betting odds courtesy of BetMGM are not available at the moment
MORE: Who is fighting at UFC 305 in Perth?
UFC 305 tune-in info
- Date: Saturday, August 18
- Location: RAC Arena - Perth, Australia
- Start time: 10 p.m. ET (8 p.m. ET for prelims) | 3 a.m BST (Sun) | 12 p.m. AEST (Sun)
- How to watch:
- US: ESPN+ ($79.99 PPV fee plus $10.99/month membership)
- UK: TNT Sports (￡3.99/month or ￡39.99/year via discovery+)
- Canada: DAZN ($69.99)
- Australia: Kayo Sports ($59.95)
UFC 305 will be in the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia on August 18. The early prelims start at 6 p.m. ET, while the prelims are at 8 p.m. ET. The main card starts at 10 p.m. ET, and du Plessis and Adesanya should make their way to the octagon around 12:30 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
Fight fans can watch UFC 305 on ESPN+ PPV (U.S.), TNT Sports (U.K.), DAZN (Canada), and Kayo Sports (Australia).
Upcoming UFC TV schedule
| Date | Event | Location | How to watch |
| June 29, 2024 | UFC 303: Pereira vs. Prochazka 2 | T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, USA | ESPN+ |
| July 13, 2024 | Barber vs. Namajunas | Ball Arena - Denver, Colorado | ESPN, ESPN+ |
| July 20, 2024 | TBA vs. TBA | UFC APEX, Las Vegas, USA | ESPN+ |
| July 27, 2024 | UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 | Co-op Live - Manchester | ESPN+ |
| August 3, 2024 | UFC Abu Dhabi: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov | Etihad Arena - Abu Dhabi | ABC, Fubo, ESPN+ |
| August 10, 2024 | TBA vs. TBA | UFC APEX, Las Vegas, USA | ESPN+ |
| August 18, 2024 | UFC 305: du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya | RAC Arena - Perth, Australia | ESPN+ |