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Hagley Park In Stadium Live FeedUFC 305: Adesanya v Du Plessis – All you need to know
Stephen Foote • August 17th, 2024 11:31 am
What: UFC 305
Where: RAC Arena, Perth
When: Main pay-per-view card begins at 2pm (NZ time).
Why should you tune in?
The UFC returns to Australia for the second time in less than a year, this time with an offering jam-packed at the top of billing with the cream of the NZ fighting crop.
In the main event, former middleweight world champion Israel 'The Last Stylebender' Adesanya will attempt to capture the division's crown for a record third occasion, when he squares off with budding rival Dricus Du Plessis of South Africa, who'll attempt to make his maiden title defence.
In the co-main event, Kai Kara-France returns from a lengthy layoff to try and spoil the homecoming party for local hero Steve Erceg, when the pair meet in a flyweight title eliminator that's certain to sizzle.
Setting the table for the aforementioned matchups will be the pride of West Auckland and New Zealand MMA's elder statesman Dan Hooker, who is back in action against Polish submission grappling ace Mateusz Gamrot.
There's plenty more intriguing bouts scattered across the card, including cult hero and King of the 'Shooey' Tai Tuivasa, who'll open the main card with a heavyweight slobberknocker against Jairzinho Rozenstruik, while Samoan Justn Tafa takes on Valter Walker.
Israel Adesanya v Dricus Du Plessis
The beef has been simmering between these two for years, and they'll finally have a chance to settle their longstanding score this Sunday.
The genesis of the grudge dates back to Du Plessis' claims that he's Africa's true ambassador within the UFC, taking a shot at Nigerian-born Adesanya's decision to live and train out of New Zealand, where he's been based since he was 10 years old following his parent's decision to immigrate down under.
Du Plessis' comments struck a nerve that is still very much raw for Adesanya, and recent claims about who bested who when the pair shared a training mat together at the famed Tiger Muay Thai gym in Thailand five years ago have only poured more fuel on that fire.
Adesanya hasn’t fought since September 2023, when he lost his belt to Sean Strickland in one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, and he'll be desperate to erase those bitter Sydney memories with an emphatic day out in Western Australia this weekend.
The 11-month layoff has been the longest of his career to date, and he's been vocal about the huge benefits the rest has had on the back of being one of the busiest fighters in the promotion over the past six years.
And given what he accomplished in his last response to a defeat, his incredible knockout finish of now light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, this main event will be must-see TV.
Betcha fight odds:
Adesanya - $1.90 Du Plessis - $1.90
Kai Kara-France v Steve Erceg
The past 14 months have been challenging for 'Don't Blink'. After his interim flyweight title defeat to Brandon Moreno, he was on the wrong side of a highly contentious split decision loss to Amir Albazi – a fight the majority of pundits and fans scored in the Kiwi's favour.
His opportunity to rebound against Manel Kape last September was then nixed by a concussion suffered during training, which put him right back on the shelf.
But it's testament to the veteran flyweight's highly respected status with the division that his first bout back is against Steve Erceg, who's one of the hottest names at 125lb.
In the space of just 11 months since his promotional debut in June 2023, Erceg won three fights in impressive fashion to earn a title shot against Alexandre Pantoja – and on the Brazilian's home turf, no less.
Erceg came up short that day but only by the narrowest of margins, a result that was ultimately a net positive for his stocks.
Now the Perth native will take to the Octagon in front of what will be a rabid home crowd in a mouthwatering stylistic matchup against Kara-France, a fighter famed for high paced, high action bouts, who has a superb chance to put himself back at the front of the queue for a title shot.
As the man's moniker attests – don’t blink.
__Betcha fight odds: __
Kara-France- $2.50 Erceg - $1.53
Dan Hooker v Mateusz Gamrot
As is the case with his City Kickboxing teammates, 'The Hangman' is also returning from the longest absence of his decade-long UFC career.
The momentum from the Aucklander's two-fight win streak, most recently in his Herculean effort to overcome a broken arm and earn a split decision win over the Jalin Turner, was somewhat stifled by an injury that prevented him facing Bobby Green late last year.
But that respite has been a blessing in disguise for Hooker, who's used the time outside of competition to rehabilitate the multitude of 'bumps and bruises' he's accumulated over the past 10 years.
With those dents finally panelbeaten, we may just see the best version of Dan Hooker – a performance bonus machine - in quite some time, which is superb news for fans but not such great news for Mateusz Gamrot.
The No. 5 ranked Polish submission grappling specialist is amid a three-fight win streak of his own and is the bookies' favourite to have his hand raised on Sunday.
But only a fool would underestimate Hooker's chances, and his advantage in height and reach – not to mention his distinct superiority in the striking stakes – make him a very live underdog.
__Betcha fight odds: __
Hooker - $4.00 Gamrot - $1.25
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