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Dricus du Plessis defends his middleweight title against former two-time champion Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305 on Saturday, August 17 in Perth, Australia.
The main card will air at RAC Arena on pay-per-view on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET, with prelims on ESPN and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. and early prelims on ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m.
Du Plessis (21-2) has won nine straight fights, most recently a split decision over Sean Strickland in January to win the 185-pound title. Du Plessis is No. 1 in ESPN’s middleweight rankings.
Adesanya (24-3) has not fought since losing his title to Strickland via unanimous decision last September. He is ranked seventh in the ESPN men’s rankings.
What are the stories behind the best fights at UFC 305? How do the experts break them down? What do the fighters have to say? Here’s the fight card, how to watch it, and a rundown of all the essentials at UFC 305.
Where do MMA betting experts and analysts count on Adesanya-Du Plessis?
How to watch battles
Watch the PPV and all other fights on ESPN+: Get ESPN+ here.
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There’s also FightCenter, Which provides live updates for every UFC card.
Fight Card
0:44
Emotional Adesanya Delivers Emotional Message Ahead of UFC 305
Israel Adesanya shares an emotional moment with his family at the UFC 305 press conference ahead of his title bout against Dricus Du Plessis.
Middleweight Championship: Dricus Du Plessis (title holder) vs. Israel Adesanya
Men’s Flyweight: Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg
Lightweight: Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker
Heavyweight: Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Middleweight: Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates
Heavyweight: Walter Walker defeats Junior Tafa
Featherweight: Ricardo Ramos defeats Josh Culibao
Women’s Flyweight: Casey O’Neil defeats Luana Santos
Featherweight: Jack Jenkins defeats Herbert Burns
Lightweight: Tom Nolan defeats Alex Reyes
Middleweight: Song Keenan defeats Ricky Glenn
Men’s Flyweight: Jesus Aguilar defeats Stuart Nicol
(c) = Defending Champion
“It’s old Easy, but also old Easy.”
By the time Adesanya steps into the ring, he will have been out of action for more than 11 months, including two months without going to the gym “for his own sanity.”
“I had no idea how long I would be out, but I knew it wouldn’t be until 2027,” Adesanya said. “That was a joke. Don’t worry, I’m back now.”
The time away from competition has allowed the 35-year-old to rethink what it means to be a professional athlete, as well as find the right motivation to step into the Octagon, before his competitive fire is completely extinguished.
“A head that wears a crown is heavy, and I have a big head and a big crown,” Adesanya said.
Hill: At UFC 305, Israel Adesanya came back with a bang
Storylines: Adesanya vs. Du Plessis, Heavyweight Wrestling, and More
When the eight-sided cage returns to Australia on Saturday, the former two-time champion will take on Dricus Du Plessis in the main event of UFC 305 in Perth. At stake is not just a glittering belt, but the pride of a continent 5,000 miles away, as both fighters have roots in Africa, despite their vastly different life experiences.
This is just the beginning of many exciting stories that will unfold this week. Here are five things to watch for at UFC 305.
Wagenheim: UFC 305 Stories – Can Adesanya Reclaim Middleweight Title?
Flames Lead Dricus Du Plessis Vs Israel Adesanya
When South African Dricus “Stilnok” du Plessis captured the UFC middleweight belt in January, beating Sean Strickland by split decision, his first request was: “Bring me my flag.”
Getting the rainbow nation colours was a moment of symbolic significance for his gym, CIT Performance Institute, which he co-owns with his longtime friends and training partners Claudia and Jay-T Botha, and all the work they do to grow the sport in their homeland.
“The flag represents to me that this is not just my title – this is the country’s title – the flag represents the amazing support that I get, that we get,” Du Plessis, sitting on the jumping block after practice, told ESPN.
Solms: Du Plessis to defend UFC ‘national’ belt against Adesanya
Rest, Reset, and Golf: Inside Israel Adesanya’s 11-Month Layoff
But let’s go back to 2023 where Adesanya and Du Plessis looked set to meet before the end of the year, or at least early 2024, but the shock loss of the Nigerian-born New Zealander to Sean Strickland took that possibility off the table.
So, Adesanya is gone.
“That was definitely the straw that broke the camel’s back because it wasn’t just the fights, it was the camp and the training. That’s what really affected me, and my body wasn’t doing well,” Adesanya told ESPN of his decision to step away from the sport.
Bruce: Inside the Israel Adesanya “Settlement”
Top Stories
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Sonnen: The belt has nothing to do with Adesanya, it’s personal
Chael Sonnen breaks down the heated rivalry between Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis ahead of their title clash at UFC 305.
Adesanya leaves UFC 305 press conference in tears after Du Plessis comments
Israel Adesanya returns to face Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305
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