The world of mixed martial arts is buzzing with excitement in the expectation of the upcoming weekend. In its 305th edition, Ultimate Fighting Championship, also known simply as UFC, brings together Dricus du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya as the main card of the event.
While the fight for the middleweight championship between the two athletes promises to be an interesting watch in and of itself, there are a couple of things that add to its value and make UFC 305 truly stand out.
First and foremost, with du Plessis being from South Africa and Adesanya hailing from Nigeria, this fight will mark the first time two African-born mixed martial artists will face off in a UFC bout.
In addition, UFC 305 will be taking place in Perth, Australia for the third time in its history. The last time this city Down Under hosted a UFC fight was in February 2023, with Makhachev vs Volkanovski as the main event of UFC 284. Not only this, but this event will become an inaugural event for a multiyear deal that envisages twice-annual UFC events in Perth.
And last but definitely not least, this will be Adesanya’s first fight since September 2023 when he lost his champion title to Sean Strickland in UFC 293. While some of his fans don’t fully approve the decision to go directly for a title bout after a hiatus, Israel Adesanya is very determined to claim his belt back and become the first three-time middleweight champion. Du Plessis acquired the title of the middleweight champion in January 2024 after he snatched it from Sean Strickland.
The fight is scheduled for Saturday, 17 August and will take place at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
UFC 305 Du Plessis vs Adesanya Preview: Meet the Fighters
The history between the two mixed martial art fighters goes far back than the bout in question. In fact, the infamous UFC 293 fight between Adesanya and Strickland in September 2023 that cost Adesanya his champion title was initially scheduled to be an Adesanya vs du Plessis bout.
This was the time when Dricus du Plessis had just won against Robert Whittaker, a man who had only been defeated by a middleweight fighter once before. And that fighter was none other than Israel Adesanya. But notwithstanding du Plessis’ adamant position to come against Adesanya in the ring, he had to pull out of the already scheduled fight due to medical complications. Sean Strickland took his place in the ring and won the fight.
But this preexisting connection between the South African and Nigerian-New Zealand mixed martial artists is not the only thing that makes the fans look forward to it. Even though both fighters have possessed the title of the UFC middleweight champion, du Plessis claims to be the “real” first African champion, as not only was he born on the African continent, but unlike Adesanya, trained there throughout his career too.
Dricus Du Plessis Stats
| Weight class: | Middleweight |
| Weight: | 83.46 kg (184 lbs) |
| Height: | 185.4 cm (6’1”) |
| Record: | 21-2-0 (win-loss-draw) |
| Nickname: | Stillknocks |
| Last fight: | 21 January, 2024 / win |
| Last opponent: | Sean Strickland |
| DOB: | 14 January 1994 (30 years old) |
| Country: | South Africa |
| Reach: | 76 in |
| Leg reach: | 43 in |
| Stance: | Switch |
Israel Adesanya Stats
| Weight class: | Middleweight |
| Weight: | 83.82 kg (184.80 lbs) |
| Height: | 193.04 cm (6’4”) |
| Record: | 24-3-0 (win-loss-draw) |
| Nickname: | The Last Stylebender |
| Last fight: | 10 September, 2023 / loss |
| Last opponent: | Sean Strickland |
| DOB: | 22 July 1989 (35 years old) |
| Country: | Nigeria/New Zealand |
| Reach: | 80 in |
| Leg reach: | 44.5 in |
| Stance: | Switch |
UFC 305 du Plessis vs Adesanya Preview: What To Expect
While both fighters are currently fighting in middleweight mixed martial arts, their fighting background is not identical.
Throughout his life Dricus du Plessis has been consecutively exposed to different martial arts. Starting with judo at the age of five, he was introduced to wrestling at twelve and finally turned to kickboxing when he was fourteen. Du Plessis is recognized for his grappling and striking combination, as well as submission skills. He owes his nickname “Stillknocks” to the power of his knockouts. One thing that he uses to his advantage during the fights is the ability to adapt to the fighting style of his opponents.
Israel Adesanya started his journey with taekwondo as an after school activity but was later pulled out of the club because of an injury. He was introduced to kickboxing at the age of 18, when he was inspired by a Thai film. Two years later he was fighting as an amateur kickboxer before making a decision to fully switch to a professional career in martial arts. In 2014 he also began fighting as a professional boxer. Currently, Adesanya trains in wrestling and has a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
When discussing the odds of the fight, there are certain accents in regards to both fighters. Du Plessis is well known for his awkward and rather unorthodox method of fighting that usually proves problematic for his opponents. On the other hand, Adesanya is recognized for his speed and precision striking. Being several inches taller than the South African fighter, Adesanya is considered to be in great shape, even though he is five years older than du Plessis and hasn’t fought since September 2023.
But it is not only the viewers and oddmakers who are kept on high alert when it comes to the upcoming bout between the two fighters. Some of their fellow mixed martial artists came forward to express their opinions as well. Among them were Alexander Volkanovski, Adesanya’s team mate from City Kickboxing, and Robert Whittaker, the man who fought – and lost to – both men.
If you would like to familiarize yourself with the odds, 7bet offers various picks on this fight. Please note that the odds are always being updated, so make sure to check the valid odds before placing a bet.
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