The grudge match between Du Plessis and Adesanya headlines UFC’s return to Australia
• 2 min read
Expect a lot of bad blood at UFC 305. UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya compete in a grudge match in Perth, Australia on Saturday with the 185-pound title at stake.
The rivalry between the two was amplified at UFC 290 in July 2023. Then middleweight champion Adesanya had an intense face-off with Du Plessis following DDP’s dominant stoppage of Robert Whittaker. They’ve since swapped roles in the middleweight division. The pair were expected to fight two months later, but Du Plessis’ inability to make the quick turnaround allowed Strickland to upset Adesanya to become champion. Adesanya returns for the first time since that shocking loss hoping to become a three-time UFC titleholder.
“He was very fired up after that faceup,” du Plessis told CBS Sports. “The reason he reacted the way he did and behaved like an absolute clown when we faced off in the Octagon after the Whittaker fight was because he watched me fight Whittaker and beat him better than he did.
“It was 100% a fight-or-flight response from him.”
Elsewhere on the card, former flyweight title challengers look to stay relevant in the contender race when Kai Kara-France takes on Steve Erceg in the co-main event. Kara-France has lost his last two appearances while Erceg is coming of a surprisingly close decision loss to champion Alexandre Pantoja. Plus, fan favorite Dan Hooker is back when he takes on one of the division’s best in Mateusz Gamrot. And fun-loving heavyweight Tai Tuivasa gets a homecoming opportunity to end a losing skid when he battles Jairzinho Rozenstruik.
Below is the complete fight card for UFC 305 along with the latest odds. Check back all week long for the latest news, features and other content around this massive event.
UFC 305 fight card, odds
- Israel Adesanya -120 vs. Dricus du Plessis (c) +100, middleweight title
- Steve Erceg -160 vs. Kai Kara-France +135, flyweights
- Mateusz Gamrot -350 vs. Dan Hooker +275, lightweights
- Jairzinho Rozenstruik -220 vs. Tai Tuivasa +180, heavyweights
- Carlos Prates -350 vs. Li Jingliang +275, welterweights
- Junior Tafa -130 vs. Valter Walker +110, heavyweights
- Josh Culibao -140 vs. Ricardo Ramos +120, featherweights
- Terez Bleda -150 vs. Casey O’Neill +125, women’s flyweights
- Jack Jenkins -700 vs. Herbert Burns +500, featherweights
- Tom Nolan -1200 vs. Alex Reyes +750, lightweights
- Song Kenan -175 vs. Ricky Glenn +145, welterweights
- Stewart Nicoll -240 vs. Jesus Aguilar +200, flyweights
UFC 305 info
- Date: Aug. 17
- Location: RAC Arena — Perth, Australia
- Start time: 10 p.m. ET (Main card)
- How to watch: ESPN+ PPV
UFC 305 countdown
- Brookhouse: Best bets to consider on the main card
- Du Plessis claims Adesanya’s anger stems from how bad he beat Whittaker
- Mahjouri: Undercard fights worth paying attention to this weekend
- Campbell: Biggest storylines to watch in Perth
Who wins UFC 305: du Plessis vs. Adesanya, and how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on UFC Fight Night, all from the MMA expert who profited more than $1,200 on UFC main-card picks, and find out.
