The octagon is back in Perth for a second straight year – and for the third time ever – with a stellar fight card for UFC 305 that includes a middleweight championship grudge match and eight Australians in action at RAC Arena on Sunday.
New titleholder Dricus du Plessis taking on two-time former champion Israel Adesanya for the UFC middleweight title is the headline bout in what has been called the best UFC card assembled on Australian soil.
But plenty of focus from the home crowd will be on Perth local Steve Erceg.
UFC 305 LIVE FROM PERTH: DU PLESSIS VS ADESANYA | SUN 18 AUG 12PM AEST | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel is the exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View.
The 29-year-old is up against New Zealander Kai Kara-France in a flyweight contest that is one of four main card matches where the winner will put themself in contention to be a title challenger in the final quarter of 2024.
Australian Tai Tuivasa is also on the main card and he faces off with Jairzinho Rozenstruik in one of two UFC 305 heavyweight matchups.
The preliminary card fights will involve Australians Junior Tafa (heavyweight), Josh Culibao (featherweight), Casey O’Neill (flyweight) and Jack Jenkins (featherweight).
Australians Tom Nolan (lightweight) and Stewart Nicoll (flyweight) will feature in the early preliminaries.
Dana holidaying, gambling & matchmaking | 00:50
Here’s EVERYTHING you need to know ahead of UFC 305!
HOW TO WATCH
Aussie fight fans can catch all the action for UFC 305 LIVE on Main Event via Kayo.
Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel is the exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View.
WHEN IS IT?
UFC 305 takes place on Sunday 18 August at RAC Arena in Perth.
START TIME (ALL TIMES AEST)
The action gets underway early on Sunday morning with the early prelims commencing at 8.30am.
The prelims will follow from 10am before the main card at 12pm.
Expect du Plessis and Adesanya to make their walk to the octagon just after 2pm.
WHAT’S ON THE LINE?
In the main event, Dricus du Plessis will defend the title he won with a split decision against American Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in Toronto in January for the first time.
The South African boasts a perfect 7-0 record in UFC, and a 21-2 overall record, and he will finally fight two-time champion Israel Adesanya after an injury to du Plessis forced their original match-up last year to be shelved.
Adesanya is striving to become the first fighter to win the middleweight title three times and the Nigerian-New Zealander returns to Australia seeking vengeance for his loss to Strickland in Sydney in September last year which relinquished the title from his grasp.
The co-main event presents flyweights Steve Ercag and Kai Kara-France with not only the opportunity for Trans-Tasman bragging rights but also the chance to become a title challenger.
Perth local Ercag shot to title contention with three wins to start his UFC rookie year but he will be determined to atone for coming up short in his title challenge against Brazilian Alexandre Pantoja in the main event of UFC 301 in May.
BETTING ODDS (via TAB)
Du Plessis v Adesanya
Dricus du Plessis $1.95 to win, $3.75 to win via KO/TKO, $5.00 via decision, $6.50 via submission
Israel Adesanya $1.85 to win, $4.00 to win via KO/TKO, $3.25 via decision, $29 via submission
Kara-France v Erceg
Kai Kara-France $2.30 to win, $6.00 to win via KO/TKO, $3.50 via decision, $26 via submission
Steve Erceg $1.58 to win, $8.00 to win via KO/TKO, $2.25 via decision, $8.00 via submission
Hooker v Gamrot
Dan Hooker $3.50 to win, $9.00 to win via KO/TKO, $6.00 via decision, $21 via submission
Mateusz Gamrot $1.30 to win, $9.00 to win via KO/TKO, $1.65 via decision, $5.50 via submission
Tuivasa v Rozenstruik
Tai Tuivasa $2.65 to win, $3.50 to win via KO/TKO, $10 via decision, $34 via submission
Jairzinho Rozenstruik $1.48 to win, $1.70 to win via KO/TKO, $8.00 via decision, $21 via submission
Jingliang v Prates
Li Jingliang $3.25 to win, $8.00 to win via KO/TKO, $6.50 via decision, $21 via submission
Carlos Prates $1.34 to win, $1.90 to win via KO/TKO, $3.75 via decision, $13 via submission
FULL FIGHT CARD
Main card (from 12pm AEST)
Dricus du Plessis (c) v Israel Adesanya – for middleweight title
Kai Kara-France v Steve Erceg – flyweight
Mateusz Gamrot v Dan Hooker – lightweight
Tai Tuivasa v Jairzinho Rozenstruik – heavyweight
Li Jingliang v Carlos Prates – welterweight
Prelims (from 10am AEST)
Junior Tafa v Valter Walker – heavyweight
Josh Culibao v Ricardo Ramos – featherweight
Casey O’Neill v Luana Santos – flyweight
Jack Jenkins v Herbert Burns – featherweight
Early prelims (from 8.30am AEST)
Tom Nolan v Alex Reyes – lightweight
Song Kenan v Ricky Glenn – welterweight
Stewart Nicoll v Jesus Aguilar – flyweight
Discussion about this post