UFC 305: Dricus du Plessis defeats Adesanya to retain title

Dricus du Plessis retained the UFC middleweight title with a fourth-round submission victory over Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth.

After an extremely close fight in which Adesanya appeared to have a slight advantage, du Plessis landed a few heavy blows before taking his back and forcing the tap with a rear-naked choke.

After a fiery build-up, both men buried the hatchet after the fight.

“This man has done so much for this sport,” Du Plessis said after the fight.

“I’m truly sorry if I made it seem like I was disrespectful to the fact that he is from Africa, that was never my intention.

“Tonight, Africa would have won no matter what, but tonight, it was South Africa who won. It was an honor for me to share the cage with a legend like that. I have the utmost respect for him, warrior to warrior.

“I don’t want to be hit by this man anymore.”

There had been rumors that Adesanya would retire if he lost, but the former two-time champion denied that idea.

“I’m disappointed in myself, but at the same time I’m proud because it was the best feeling I’ve ever had, the best look I’ve ever had, I just had the best man that night and I’ll give him respect for that,” Adesanya said.

“I know all you motherfuckers want to see me lose, want to see me fall, but look at this, I’m not fucking leaving!”

In main support, Kai Kara-France added another first-round knockout to his tally and potentially booked himself a world title fight with a decision win over Steve Erceg.

The Kiwi won the trans-Tasman showdown with Perth product Erceg, dropping him with a long left hook before following up with a powerful right to finish the job shortly after.

Earlier, Dan Hooker earned a surprise split decision victory over Mateusz Gamrot, mixing his diverse striking with sharp defensive wrestling to take down the No. 5 ranked lightweight.

At heavyweight, Jairzinho Rozenstruik proved too precise and skillful for a slightly timid Tai Tuivasa, who slipped to a fifth straight defeat, this time via a rather baffling split decision that saw the dissenting judge relieved of his duties for the remainder of the card.

Meanwhile, Carlos Prates scored a spectacular knockout over Li Jingliang, the first such defeat in the Chinese fighter’s career, announcing himself as a force at welterweight.

Take a look below at how it all went down:

UFC 305 Results and Updates

Dricus du Plessis defeats Israel Adesanya

Round 4: More body work forces du Plessis to change levels but Adesanya pushes him back. Adesanya is comfortable with du Plessis standing in front of him. The champ may need to get more aggressive here, but does he have the gas tank after all the body shots? Du Plessis throws three big shots back to back then takes him from behind and chokes him with a rear naked choke! IT’S ALL OVER!!!

Round 3: Adesanya goes to the body with his opponent well set up but lands a blow to the head on the way back. More body work with a kick and a hook slows DDP down. Adesanya looks to find the target with a spinning elbow but du Plessis goes up and lands a few moments later. The strikes are getting a little sloppier on both sides now. Another challenger that’s close to doing it 29-28 Adesanya

Round 2: A big level change from Du Plessis allows Adesanya to get to the ground after a brief scrum, before the champion goes to work on a submission but gives up the position to see them get back to their feet. Adesanya then works the hands and looks to hurt du Plessis but the South African ends up on his back. Nasty work in the clinch from behind for du Plessis to score. Another close fight but time control allows for it to be done 19-19 on our map

Round 1: A fascinating start to the fight, with both fighters looking to execute their game plans without getting too reckless. Adesanya opens a small cut on the champion’s head with a knee and has some success from distance with kicks. Du Plessis lands with his hands as he blitzes, mixing it up nicely with high kicks. A close round but perhaps a 10-9 Adesanya

Kai Kara-France defeats Steve Erceg

Kara-France continued his winning ways for City Kickboxing with a vicious KO over local boy Erceg.

The Kiwi connected with a left shot that sent Erceg slumping to the canvas before finishing the job moments later with a right cross that shut Erceg’s lights out and earned his 13th first-round finish.

The defeat is Erceg’s second in a row after Western Australia lost to Pantoja in May.

Dan Hooker beats Mateusz Gamrot

What a war!

We expected nothing less from Hooker and he delivered in spades.

Both fighters were hurt several times and had periods of dynamism, both on the feet and in grappling exchanges.

Ultimately, Hooker did what was necessary to win the approval of two judges and relieve Gamrot of his No. 5 ranking.

1:33pm AEST: Booth was scheduled to judge the co-main event, but was removed from that role following his card in the previous fight.

Jairzinho Rozenstruik defeats Tai Tuivasa

It was a fight that promised to be a fireworks show, but this heavyweight clash didn’t quite live up to its promise.

Rozenstruik ultimately took a split decision (29-28, 30-27, 27-30), although the judge who scored all three rounds for Tuivasa, Howie Booth, will have to explain his reasoning.

While Tuivasa was in the mix as always, Rozenstruik was clearly busier and more precise and did what was necessary to claim a fairly comfortable victory.

Carlos Prates defeats Li Jingliang

Prates became the first man to knock out “The Leech” and he did it in devastating fashion.

After displaying a striking clinic for most of the first two rounds and a few changes, Prates delivered a left hand bomb that sent Li slumping forward and set up a few disturbing moments as he lay unconscious on the canvas.

CARLOS PRATES PUT THE LEECHES TO THE TEST IN HIS TOUGHEST FIGHT YET #UFC305 pic.twitter.com/WTGucGo3BT

— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) August 18, 2024

On his birthday, Prates asked for a bonus and he could well earn himself a ranked opponent as well.

Valter Walker beats Junior Tafa

Controversy and boos erupt in the arena as Walker earns a first-round technical submission victory.

With just seconds left in the first round, Tafa briefly cried out in pain as the two men grappled, with referee Steve Perceval deeming it amounted to verbal submission from the Queenslander.

Tafa wasn’t happy either after trying to face the winner in the octagon before being separated.

Walker requests that his next fight be against Junior’s brother, Justin.

Ricardo Ramos defeats Josh Culibao

Ramos wins a split decision over Culibao after surviving a vicious assault from the Australian in the second round.

Ramos tried several times to finish the fight on the ground in the first round but was unable to do so, before Culibao gained the upper hand in the second.

Ultimately, the third round went in favor of Ramos, according to the opinion of two judges, who was awarded the victory.

Casey O’Neill defeats Luana Santos

The good times continued for the Australians early on as O’Neill claimed a unanimous decision victory over Santos.

In a hesitant fight where neither fighter was able to inflict too much damage, O’Neill came out on top by a wide margin.

Jack Jenkins defeats Herbert Burns

Another win on the board for the home side with Jenkins stopping Burns in the third round.

‘Phar Jack’ is renowned for his brutal low kicks and they were on full display, dropping Burns to the ground several times before a right hand early in the third dropped him before a ground strike and punch finished the job.

Tom Nolan beats Alex Reyes

Nolan gives the Australians the lead with a classy win over a tough and resilient Reyes.

“Big Train” had the advantage in the strike exchanges and remained calm in the face of some delicate attacks from the experienced Reyes.

Song Kenan beats Ricky Glenn

Kenan ensured Glenn’s winless streak was extended with a hard-earned unanimous decision victory.

Glenn fought most of the fight with significant swelling on the side of his head from an early elbow.

Jesus Aguilar defeats Stewart Nicoll

Brisbane native Stewart Nicoll had the honour of opening the card, but couldn’t keep his perfect professional record intact in the first fight of his UFC career, as he lost by first-round submission to Jesus Aguilar.

What time is UFC 305? PPV card and main event schedule and start time

UFC 305 will take place on Sunday, August 18. The prelims will begin at 8:30 a.m. AEST, the prelims at 10 a.m. AEST. The main card will take place at 12 p.m. AEST. Du Plessis and Adesanya are expected to take to the octagon around 2:15 p.m. AEST, depending on the length of the undercard fights.

Here’s how this schedule corresponds to other time zones around the world:

	Local time (AWST)	AEST	AND	PT	GMT
The first preliminaries	6:30 a.m.	8:30 a.m.	6:30 p.m.	3:30 p.m.	11:30 p.m.
Preliminaries	8:00 a.m.	10:00 a.m.	8:00 p.m.	5:00 p.m.	1:00 a.m.
Main map	10:00 a.m.	12:00 p.m.	10:00 p.m.	7:00 p.m.	3:00 am
Main event (approx.)	12:15 p.m.	2:15 p.m.	00:15	9:15 p.m.	5:15 a.m.

UFC 305 Fight Card

Main map

• Dricus du Plessis (c) def. Israel Adesanya via 4th round submission (rear naked choke)
• Kai Kara-France def. Steve Erceg by KO in the 1st round
• Mateusz Gamrot defeated by Dan Hooker by decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
• Tai Tuivasa defeated by Jairzinho Rozenstruik by split decision (29-28, 30-27, 27-30)
• Li Jingliang defeated by Carlos Prates by KO in the 2nd round

Preliminaries

• Junior Tafa defeated by Valter Walker via submission in the 1st round (technical)
• Josh Culibao defeated by Ricardo Ramos by split decision (29-28 x 2, 28-29)
• Casey O’Neill def. Luana Santos by unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 30-26)
• Jack Jenkins def. Herbert Burns by TKO in the 3rd round

The first preliminaries

• Tom Nolan def. Alex Reyes by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
• Kenan Song def. Ricky Glenn by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 29-28)
• Stewart Nicoll defeated by Jesus Aguilar by submission in the 3rd round (guillotine)