This weekend at UFC 305, an intense rivalry will take center stage. Israel Adesanya will attempt to reclaim the middleweight title from current holder Dricus Du Plessis. Adesanya has set his sights on a remarkable third title in the UFC, his last fight taking place back in September. In a surprise upset, he lost his second championship bout to Sean Strickland, leaving his fans and supporters stunned.
Following this, Strickland lost the much-coveted belt to Du Plessis in January. Du Plessis made history by becoming the first UFC champion not only born in Africa, but who also trained continuously throughout his career on the African soil. The South African succeeded in agitating Adesanya with claims of being the inaugural ‘authentic’ African UFC champion.
Things will come to a head as these two fighters will seek to settle their feud in Saturday’s main event at UFC 305, a situation that promises both drama and fervor. UFC 305 is scheduled to happen on Saturday, 17 August. The venue for this much-awaited event is the RAC Arena, located in Perth, Australia.
The day will begin to heat up with the early preliminaries starting at 11.30pm BST, converting to 3.30pm PT, 5.30pm CT, and 6.30pm ET. The day won’t lose its steam as the regular preliminaries will take over at 1am BST on Sunday, 5pm PT, 7pm CT, and 8pm ET on Saturday.
Following this, the main card will take center stage, scheduled to begin at 3am BST on Sunday, or for the American audience: 7pm PT, 9pm CT, and 10pm ET on Saturday. It’s an event that promises electrifying bouts round the clock.
The fight will be broadcast live on TNT Sports in the United Kingdom, with their app and website featuring live streaming of each of the fights. In addition to this, Discovery+ will also telecast the day’s events live in the UK.
For fight enthusiasts in the United States, ESPN+ will provide live streaming coverage of the event. UFC’s Fight Pass will also enable fans to keep up with each blow, punch, and kick in the bouts, from the comfort of their own homes.
The current betting odds place Adesanya at 4/5, while Du Plessis comes in at 1/1. These odds are provided by Betway and are subject to change, but they provide insights into the expectations surrounding the fighter’s performances.
The day is not just about the headlining event between Adesanya and Du Plessis. The main card is packed with other gripping matches. The action includes a flyweight match between Kai Kara-France and Steve Erceg.
Adding more excitement to the card, Mateusz Gamrot will clash with Dan Hooker in a lightweight bout, Tai Tuivasa is set to face off against Jairzinho Rozenstruik in a heavyweight match. Also, a welterweight contest between Li Jingliang and Carlos Prates is on the schedule.
The preliminary card will also feature an exciting set of matches. There’s a heavyweight bout between Junior Tafa and Valter Walker, followed by a featherweight fight pitting Josh Culibao against Ricardo Ramos.
Adding to the spectacle, Casey O’Neill will take on Luana Santos in a women’s flyweight match, followed by a featherweight clash between Jack Jenkins and Herbert Burns. The action isn’t stopping any time soon.
Rounding off the night, the early prelims feature some tantalizing matchups. A lightweight match between Tom Nolan and Alex Reyes, a welterweight clash of Song Kenan versus Ricky Glenn.
Finally, a flyweight bout with Stewart Nicoll facing Jesus Aguilar is set to take place. Each of these fights offers an immense amount of excitement, skill, and talent leaving fans poised for action.
From the start of the early preliminaries to the last match on the main card, UFC 305 promises non-stop excitement and action, with the grudge match between Adesanya and Du Plessis as the main event, carrying the weight of anticipation for an exciting finish.