UFC 305: Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya fight week schedule
The UFC is set to make a return to Australia on Saturday, August 18. Live from the RAC Arena in Perth, this will be the UFC's third-ever visit to the city, with the last showing taking place in February 2023. UFC 305 will also be the start of a multi-year partnership between the promotion and the city. The event will feature 12 fights, headlined by a single title fight.
Dricus du Plessis won the UFC middleweight championship at UFC 297, when he defeated Sean Strickland. He makes his first title defense at UFC 305, and he does so against the two-time former champion Israel Adesanya. The two have had issues for several months, and they finally get to clash on Saturday, August 18. Whilst du Plessis walks into the Octagon with champion's advantage, this serves as familiar grounds for Adesanya.
Du Plessis remains undefeated in his seven-fight UFC career. Although it is his first time holding gold within the UFC, du Plessis has held EFC and KSW championships in the past. On the other hand, Adesanya has the second-longest reign in the promotion's middleweight title history, and many agree that he is one of the most dominant champions of the modern era. At UFC 305, the pair finally get to fight, and they will make history as it will be the first time that two African-born fighters fight for a title in the UFC.
The penultimate fight on the UFC 305 card will be a flyweight bout. The no. 4-ranked Kai Kara-France will clash with the no. 7-ranked Steve Erceg. Both Kara-France and Erceg are coming off of recent losses, and they will be looking to work their way back into the winning column. This could also ultimately assist with getting movement in the flyweight division.
The main card will also feature a lightweight bout between two ranked opponents. Mateusz Gamrot is currently ranked no. 5 in the division, and he goes up against New Zealand's Dan Hooker, who is ranked no. 11. Hooker's last fight took place in July 2023 before he was sidelined with an injury. Gamrot is currently riding a three-fight winning streak.
There will also be a heavyweight bout on the main card. This will feature the no. 11-ranked Tai Tuivasa and the no. 12-ranked Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Although he is super popular, Tuivasa is desperately seeking a victory. Rozenstruik has been trading wins and losses but, coming off of the recent victory, he hopes to build upon that.
The main card curtain-raiser will be a welterweight bout between Li Jingliang and Carlos Prates. Although having been with the UFC since 2014, Jingliang is still trying to find his footing within the UFC. Prates, on the other hand, has remained undefeated since 2019 and joined the UFC recently after being awarded a contract on Dana White's Contender Series season seven.
The prelim and early prelim cards are also set to feature several other fights, including some of the UFC talent who represent Oceania. This includes the likes of Junior Tafa, Joshua Culibao, Casey O'Neil, and others.
The week has so much more than just the UFC 305 fight night in-store. Here is all you can expect from the fight week as the event comes to the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
How to watch UFC 305 pre-fight press conference
- DATE: Friday, August 16
- TIME: 4 am ET/1 am PT
- WATCH: Streaming live on UFC's YouTube
How to watch UFC 305 official weigh-ins
- DATE: Friday, August 16
- TIME: 6 pm ET/3 pm PT
- WATCH: Streaming live on UFC's YouTube
How to watch UFC 305 ceremonial weigh-ins
- DATE: Friday, August 16
- TIME: 11 pm ET/8 pm PT
- WATCH: Streaming live on UFC's YouTube
How to watch UFC 305
- DATE: Saturday, August 18
- TIME: 6:30 pm ET/3:30 pm PT
- WATCH: PPV/ESPN/ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass
How to watch UFC 305 post-fight press conference
- DATE: Sunday, August 18
- TIME: Directly after the fights conclude
- WATCH: Streaming live on UFC's YouTube
Follow along with FanSided MMA for additional coverage from the whole fight week.