UFC 305 Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya: Fight card, date, time, telecast, live streaming info & more

Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya will be the main event for UFC 305

For the second year in a row and the third time overall, the Octagon will visit Perth, Australia for an action-packed pay-per-view at RAC Arena.

Headlined by a middleweight championship grudge match between new titleholder Dricus Du Plessis and two-time former champ Israel Adesanya, and supported by a slew of critical pairings across various divisions, UFC 305 promises to be an all-action event that sends shockwaves through the rankings and leaves fans with plenty to talk about once the smoke clears after Saturday’s festivities.

As Fight Week begins, here’s your chance to get to know the men and women who will take the walk this weekend, as well as the specifics of each match that will grace the Octagon in Perth.

UFC 305 Main Card

• Middleweight bout: Dricus du Plessis (c) vs Israel Adesanya
• Flyweight bout: Kai Kara-France vs Steve Erceg
• Lightweight bout: Mateusz Gamrot vs Dan Hooker
• Heavyweight bout: Tai Tuivasa vs Jairzinho Rozenstruik
• Welterweight bout: Li Jingliang vs Carlos Prates

UFC 305 Prelims Card

• Heavyweight bout: Junior Tafa vs Valter Walker
• Featherweight bout: Joshua Culibao vs Ricardo Ramos
• Women’s Flyweight bout: Casey O’Neill vs Luana Santos
• Featherweight bout: Jack Jenkins vs Herbert Burns
• Lightweight bout: Tom Nolan vs Alex Reyes
• Welterweight bout: Song Kenan vs Ricky Glenn
• Flyweight bout: Stewart Nicoll vs Jesús Santos Aguilar

Dricus du Plessis (c) vs Israel Adesanya

Du Plessis won the championship in January, defeating Sean Strickland via split decision in a hard-fought, intense fight that improved the South African’s UFC record to 7-0 and 21-2. While doubts will always be raised about his unusual motions and technique, there is no denying the achievements Du Plessis has achieved so far, defeating divisional opponents such as Brad Tavares, Derek Brunson, and Robert Whittaker before dethroning Strickland at UFC 297 in Toronto.

Adesanya competes for the first time since relinquishing the belt to Strickland in Sydney last September, with an unexpectedly lacklustre performance. The 35-year-old has back from prior losses in an amazing manner, most notably winning the middleweight title by knocking out Alex Pereira at UFC 287 in April, so it will be interesting to watch how Adesanya responds now.

Flyweight bout: Kai Kara-France vs Steve Erceg

Veteran contender Kai Kara-France returns to action against recent title challenger Steve Erceg in what looks to be an exciting flyweight co-main event. Kara-France used three consecutive wins to earn an interim championship battle against Brandon Moreno at UFC 277 in Dallas, where he was knocked out in the third round with a body kick.

He appeared to re-enter the title picture a year later, only to be on the losing end of a contentious split decision against Amir Albazi, and now he returns to action here after fighting ailments ever since.

Erceg, a Perth native, catapulted into championship contention in his first year on the UFC roster, winning three fights in a row before facing Alexandre Pantoja in the main event of UFC 301 in May. Though he came up short, the 29-year-old demonstrated in that battle that he is among the division’s top and will remain a force in title talks for the foreseeable future.

Lightweight bout: Mateusz Gamrot vs Dan Hooker

Mateusz Gamrot and Dan Hooker square off in a Top 15 matchup in the middle of the weekend’s major event. Gamrot, 33, is presently ranked fifth in the lightweight division, trailing only No. 1 contender Arman Tsarukyan and a pack of seasoned challengers who have all competed for gold in recent years.

Gamrot, an amazing athlete with good grappling and a deep gas tank, has a three-fight winning streak and a 7-2 record since joining the UFC, making him a nightmare matchup for anybody hoping to compete in the 155-pound weight class.

Hooker, who has been on the UFC roster for ten years, competes for the first time since his tough fight with Jalin Turner last summer at UFC 290, when he won by split decision but suffered a fractured arm. The essence of an all-action fighter, “The Hangman” is averse to dull fights and will want to make things as dirty as possible when he fights Gamrot this weekend.

Heavyweight bout: Tai Tuivasa vs Jairzinho Rozenstruik

Big men who understand they aren’t paid by the hour share the Octagon here as popular Australian Tai Tuivasa faces Jairzinho Rozenstruik in one of two UFC 305 heavyweight bouts. Tuivasa, who is still only 31 years old, comes on a four-fight losing streak, with all of his defeats coming close together.

His entire career has been a series of runs — three wins, three losses, five victories, and now four straight defeats — and he’s only been on the scorecards twice in that time, so you know you’re in for something exciting whenever “Bam Bam” steps into the UFC cage.

Rozenstruik won four bouts in his debut year of 2019 to rise into the Top 10 but has failed to find consistent success since, with a 4-5 record over his previous nine fights heading into this weekend’s bout with Tuivasa. He returned to the victory column last time out, hammering Shamil Gaziev to the point where he was unable to continue, and will aim to win consecutive games for the first time since his rookie season today.

Welterweight bout: Li Jingliang vs Carlos Prates

The main event begins in the welterweight category, with Chinese veteran Li Jingliang returning to face rising Brazilian Carlos Prates. The longest-tenured Chinese fighter on the UFC roster, “The Leech,” is set to battle for the first time since losing a split decision to Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 279 less than two years ago.

Before his recent hiatus, Li was a constant in the rankings, and he brings a plethora of experience and a different level of toughness to the Octagon than anybody else in the Dana White Contender Series (DWCS).

Prates is one of numerous DWCS Class of ’23 fighters who have struck the ground running in 2024, having already recorded two stoppage victories to propel himself up the welterweight ranks. The 30-year-old Fighting Nerds representative fights with an astounding composure and confidence for someone so early in their UFC career, but with nine straight wins — the past eight by stoppage — it’s easy to see why Prates feels so at ease inside the cage.

UFC 305: Date, Time and Venue

UFC 305 is scheduled for Saturday, August 17, with the main card starting at 10 p.m. ET / 3 a.m. UK (Sunday)/ 7:30 a.m. IST (Sunday). The main event cagewalks for Duplessis vs Adesanya are expected to take place at approximately 1 a.m. ET (Sunday) / 6 a.m. UK (Sunday) / 10:30 a.m. IST (Sunday). Please note that these timings may vary depending on the duration of the main card fights.

Where to watch?

To catch all the action of UFC 305, tune in to the ESPN+ Pay-Per-View (PPV) platform.

Where to watch UFC Fight Night 242 in India?

UFC 305 will be aired live on Sony Sports Network in India. UFC 305 can be streamed live on www.sonyliv.com in India.

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