The UFC returns to the land down under as UFC 305 goes down inside the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. Headlined by UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, who is taking on former champion Israel Adesanya in a fight to settle their odds once and for all.
Click here to watch UFC 305’s press conference. Footage via ‘MMA Junkie’ on YouTube.
UFC 305’s main event will feature genuine bad blood between African fighters as UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis (21-2-0) looks to make his first title defense against former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (24-3-0).
UFC 305 Main Event: Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya
The South African champion Du Plessis comes into this heated UFC 305 matchup undefeated in the UFC. With his UFC record at 7-0 with five finishes, the current champion is known for bringing high-octane action into the cage every time.
Nigerian former champion Adesanya is returning from the longest layoff of his fighting career, following a shocking upset title loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023. The question on everyone’s mind is, can he reclaim his former glory?
Adesanya and Strickland had a very mouthy and heated buildup to their fight, and this UFC 305 fight week seems to be the same. Du Plessis and Adesanya have exchanged choice words over the past few days and months.
That said, I see Du Plessis imposing his physicality on Adesanya and, thus, bullying his way to victory.
I expect this path to be ugly. Adesanya will pepper Du Plessis’s lead leg and face until the current champion lands his own effective shots, setting up for a takedown.
However, Du Plessis is more than capable of landing a massive punch on the feet as he will be looking to close the distance with a thudding jab.
Come the third round, I expect both men to be wearing some damage and Adesanya to be visibly tired. From there, Du Plessis will be pressured and land a well-timed takedown.
Once on the ground, the formidable grappler will look to threaten a variety of chokes.
Prediction: Du Plessis via Submission (D’Arce Choke) R3
UFC 305 Co-main Event: Kai Kara France vs. Steve Erceg
UFC 305’s co-main event features top flyweights No. 4-ranked Kai Kara France (24-11-0, 1NC) and No. 7-ranked Steve Erceg (12-2-0) clashing for a potential title shot.
Former title challenger Erceg is coming off a narrow decision loss to champion Alexandre Pantoja on UFC 301 back in May. Erceg certainly landed the more effective and damaging blows during this five-rounder; however, a poor decision that cost him position in the fifth round ultimately cost the Australian fighter the title.
As for Kara France, he is coming off a long lay-off, with his most recent UFC appearance being a controversial split decision loss to Amir Albazi back in June 2023. Kara France out-landed Albazi in this fight at a 2 to 1 rate while landing more takedowns.
Both men will be looking to get back to their winning ways as well as the title picture at UFC 305 as the division’s future challenger is to be decided given the recent debacle involving former UFC flyweight Muhammed Mokaev, now a free agent.
Erceg is the more effective striker in this highly anticipated bout. The longer, rangier fighter will look to keep Kara France at the end of his punches while staying in safe defensive distance.
Erceg is also the more dangerous grappler of the two, as he is capable of threatening a plethora of submissions.
Kara France’s best chances of winning this fight involve closing the distance and landing massive knockout punches.
Prediction: Erceg via Decision
Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker
Top ranked UFC lightweights No. 5-ranked Mateusz Gamrot (24-2-0, 1NC) and No. 11-ranked Dan Hooker (23-12-0) will showdown at UFC 305, where the victor may earn themselves a title elimination opportunity.
This UFC 305 lightweight grappler versus striker matchup is intriguing as the surging Mateusz Gamrot looks to pry his way to a title shot opportunity against long-time UFC veteran Dan Hooker.
Looking at both men’s last appearance inside the UFC cage.
Gamrot last competed against former UFC lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos in March on UFC 299. In this fight, Dos Anjos badly hurt Gamrot, but the Polish fighter was able to weather the storm and neutralize the former champion’s boxing with takedowns and cage control en route to a decision victory.
As for Hooker, he last competed against Jalin Turner back in July 2023 on UFC 290. This fight was an all-out slugfest as both men badly hurt each other as they were bloodied and bruised after three hard-fought rounds. Hooker came out victorious via decision.
That said, I see Gamrot being able to neutralize the striking threat of Hooker with his calculated pressure and takedown entries. From there, he’ll look to threaten submissions or control the New Zealand striker.
Hooker’s best chances in this fight will stem from good striking distance management and threatening knees up the middle in efforts to ward off takedown attempts from the Polish wrestler.
Prediction: Gamrot via Decision
Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
UFC 305 features ranked heavyweight knockout artists No. 10-ranked Tai Tuivasa (15-7-0) and No. 12-ranked Jairzinho Rozenstruik (14-5-0) going to war, ensuring a spectacle for fight fans around the world.
Fight fans should be in for a treat with this matchup between fan favorite Tai Tuivasa and the slick kickboxer Jairzinho Rozenstruik.
There is little to elaborate on with this UFC 305 matchup, as fans know what to expect from these heavy punchers.
Tuivasa, eager to break his losing streak of 4 fights, will face Rozenstruik, who is fresh off a main event TKO victory over Shamil Gaziev in March. These past performances set the stage for an intriguing matchup.
That said, the 31-year-old Tuivasa has already absorbed too much punishment and damage throughout his career, possibly costing him his longevity.
I believe he does not react to punches as he used to, and that makes for a bad night against a polished striker like Rozenstruik.
Rozenstruik, hailing from Suriname, is the more technical of the two fighters. His precision and ability to knock out opponents make him a fascinating contender in this matchup.
Taking that into account, I see Rozenstruik landing an accumulation of thudding strikes after damaging Tuivasa’s lead leg, ultimately resulting in a TKO victory for Rozenstruik.
Prediction: Rozenstruik via KO/TKO R2
Other Fights on UFC 305
Main Card:
- (170 lbs.) Li Jingliang (19-8-0) vs. Carlos Prates (19-6-0): Prates via Decision
Prelims:
- (265 lbs.) Junior Tafa (5-2-0) vs. Valter Walker (11-1-0): Walker via Decision
- (145 lbs.) Joshua Culibao (11-3-1) vs. Ricardo Ramos (16-6-0): Culibao via Decision
- (W 125 lbs.) Casey O’Neill (9-2-0) vs. Luana Santos (8-1-0): Santos via Decision
- (145 lbs.) Jack Jenkins (12-3-0) vs. Herbert Burns (11-5-0): Jenkins via KO/TKO R2
Early Prelims:
- (155 lbs.) Tom Nolan (7-1-0) vs. Alex Reyes (13-4-0): Nolan KO/TKO R1
- (170 lbs.) Song Kenan (20-8-0) vs. Rick Glenn (22-8-2): Song via Decision
- (125 lbs.) Stewart Nicoll (8-0-0) vs. Jesus Aguilar (10-2-0): Nicoll via Decision
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