After unseating Sean Strickland in the American’s first defense this past January, the South African will look to avoid the same fate when he puts the gold on the line Down Under opposite former two-time champ Israel Adesanya.
Title stakes could be down the line for the co-main event winner, meanwhile, with recent challenger Steve Erceg looking to immediately bounce back from his first UFC setback against the returning Kai Kara-France.
Elsewhere on the UFC 305 card, lightweight fan favorite Dan Hooker shoots for a top-five ranking opposite Mateusz Gamrot, hard-hitting heavyweights Tai Tuivasa and Jairzinho Rozenstruik likely swing for the fences, and China’s Li Jingliang makes a long-awaited comeback.
Nevertheless, every fight has remained intact, and all that remained on Friday night (Saturday local time) was for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 305 ceremonial weigh-ins!
Check out a stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, followed by all the faceoffs!
The championship clash at the top of the card will see Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya’s heated feud finally reach the steel surroundings of the Octagon, with the South African’s middleweight title on the line.
UFC 305 takes place Saturday, August 17 (August 18 local time) at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT.
See above for a replay of the UFC 305 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below!
Main Card:
Middleweight Championship Main Event: Dricus Du Plessis (185lbs) vs. Israel Adesanya (184lbs)
Flyweight Co-Main Event: Kai Kara-France (125lbs) vs. Steve Erceg (125.5lbs)
Lightweight: Mateusz Gamrot (156lbs) vs. Dan Hooker (155.5lbs)
Heavyweight: Tai Tuivasa (265lbs) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (259lbs)
Welterweight: Li Jingliang (171lbs) vs. Carlos Prates (170lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Heavyweight: Junior Tafa (244lbs) vs. Valter Walker (252lbs)
Featherweight: Joshua Culibao (146lbs) vs. Ricardo Ramos (145.5lbs)
Women’s Flyweight: Casey O’Neill (125.5lbs) vs. Luana Santos (126lbs)
Featherweight: Jack Jenkins (145.5lbs) vs. Herbert Burns (146lbs)
Early Preliminary Card:
Lightweight: Tom Nolan (155.5lbs) vs. Alex Reyes (156lbs)
Welterweight: Song Kenan (171lbs) vs. Ricky Glenn (171lbs)
Flyweight: Stewart Nicoll (126lbs) vs. Jesus Aguilar (127.5lbs)*
*Jesus Aguilar missed the flyweight limit by 1.5 pounds, forfeits 20 percent of his purse
The 2024 PFL Playoffs continued on Friday night with the second of three semifinal events in the postseason, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!
The Professional Fighters League was back this week, with the championship finals at light heavyweight and lightweight decided inside the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida.
In the 205-pound main event, 2023 PFL kingpin Impa Kasanganay returned for the next step in his pursuit of back-to-back titles. To reach a second consecutive final, “Tshilobo” got the better of his championship opponent from last year, Josh Silveira, again.
Having won that contest, Kasanganay will face either former Bellator fighter Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov with $1 million prize money and this year’s light heavyweight title on the line. That’s after the Turkmenistani outpointed 2022 champ Rob Wilkinson in the co-headliner.
Massive takedown from Kasanganay in the final :30!
The lightweight bracket, meanwhile, included Clay Collard’s attempt to make his second straight championship final and keep his hopes of a first title win alive. He ultimately failed in that task, with Brent Primus instead advancing to meet Russia’s Gadzhi Rabadanov, who knocked out Canada’s Michael Dufort.
Outside of semifinal action, notable names like Biaggio Ali Walsh and Danny Sabatello will also took to the SmartCage in “The Sunshine State.”
With the event concluded, check out the full results below, followed by all the highlights!
2024 PFL 8 Playoffs Results & Highlights
Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Semifinal Main Event: Impa Kasanganay def. Josh Silveira via decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Light Heavyweight Semifinal Co-Main Event: Dovlet Yagshimuradov def. Rob Wilkinson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Lightweight Semifinal: Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Michael Dufort via KO (punches): R2, 1:51
Lightweight Semifinal: Brent Primus def. Clay Collard via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Lightweight: Biaggio Ali Walsh def. Brian Stapleton via KO (punches): R1, 0:55
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Danny Sabatello vs. Lazaro Dayron ends in majority draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28)
Darren Till recently expressed frustration with the backlash he received online after offering fight advice for Israel Adesanya’s upcoming bout against Dricus Du Plessis.
Drawing upon his own encounter with Du Plessis at UFC 282 in December 2022, Till recently took to X to offer Adesanya some strategic insights for his highly anticipated return. He highlighted the critical role of feints, advising Adesanya to use them to provoke overreactions from Du Plessis, who has a tendency to overcommit under pressure.
“The Gorilla” suggested that Adesanya maintain his distance and wait for the perfect moment to unleash his powerful strike combinations. Reflecting on his own fight, Till noted that “Stillknocks” often charges in recklessly and urged the Nigeria-born Kiwi to be cautious in those moments. Instead of retreating, the Brit advised that Adesanya should stand his ground and counter with a well-timed strike, turning Du Plessis’ aggression into an opportunity for a decisive blow.
Till’s analysis and fight recommendations were grounded in realism and could prove invaluable for the former longtime champion. However, what he didn’t foresee was the wave of mockery from fans, who quickly turned on “The Gorilla” due to his loss to Du Plessis.
Now, the former UFC star has a few words for the MMA community…
Till Strikes Back At Critics Of UFC 305 Advice For Adesanya
Frustrated by the torrent of online criticism following his advice to Adesanya, Till recently took to X to clap back at his naysayers.
The former UFC welterweight title challenger highlighted the irony of the MMA community, pointing out that while fans are quick to impose their opinions, they rejected his insights simply because they came from an ex-UFC fighter.
“MMA fans & trolls are the best. I see them all the time giving advice to fighters and opinions, etc,” Till tweeted. “But me…. An ex-UFC fighter is not allowed to give anyone advice cos they jump on saying what do I know, etc… Arghhhh, swear to god, you just have to love the internet. It’s great…”
MMA fans & trolls are the best. I see them all the time giving advice to fighters and opinions etc… But me…. An ex UFC fighter is not allowed to give anyone advice cos they jump on saying what do I know etc… Arghhhh swear to god you just have to love the internet. It’s great…
After a series of tough losses in the Octagon, “The Gorilla” chose to part ways with the UFC and stepped into the world of free agency. He returned to competition for the first time since UFC 282, making his squared-circle debut in a four-round exhibition bout against Mohammad Mutie at Social Knockout 3 last month.
Till secured a second-round TKO, but the future of the 31-year-old Scouser in combat sports now remains uncertain.
Dan Hooker has a lot to gain in his first fight of 2024 when he takes on Mateusz Gamrot this weekend at UFC 305.
“The Hangman” has produced back-to-back wins in the lightweight division over Jalin Turner and Claudio Puelles to earn himself the #11 ranking.
Gamrot, on the other hand, sits at #5 having beaten the likes of Rafael dos Anjos and Arman Tsarukyan during his time in the UFC.
Had the division’s champion, Islam Makhachev, been able to make a quicker turnaround to face Tsarukyan, who solidified his status as the number one contender by beating Charles Oliveira at UFC 300, there’s a world in which Gamrot wouldn’t need to take this fight.
Dan Hooker Says Mateusz Gamrot Has To Fight Him To Make Himself More Viable For A Title Shot
Hooker believes that his opponent this weekend in Perth didn’t take this fight because he wanted to go to Australia to test himself against “The Hangman.”
Other contenders may have chosen to wait knowing that once Makhachev does return from injury to fight Tsarukyan, he’s likely to be the next up when you look at the rest of the top five.
He has some impressive wins on his record, but as the Kiwi fighter pointed out during a recent interview on the FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Gamrot’s recent wins haven’t been dominant displays.
“Yeah I feel like they made him do it. I feel like he’s not doing it by choice. I feel like if it was a choice, he would sit out like he’s the next contender in line for a title shot. So obviously, Arman is potentially booked for Islam, I hear Islam’s injured and that’s like up in the air at the moment, but Gamrot’s the next guy. In the top five, a lot of the big names are coming off losses if you look down the (rankings), like (Dustin) Poirier, (Justin) Gaethje, Oliveira, are all coming off losses.
“Gamrot, like a close edging win after like pretty much his last two fights, he got dropped by ‘RDA’ and he got dropped by Jalin Turner and then managed to grab ahold of them and survive and panic and win, you know what I mean? So to say that this guy is the next in line for a title is very hard to market I guess for the UFC. So for in terms of Gamrot, he needs like, a big win over a guy with an exciting fighter with a big name, and so that’s me. But I’m in the game of opportunities.”
Demetrious Johnson recently shared his prediction for the highly anticipated middleweight clash between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya at UFC 305.
Du Plessis will defend his UFC middleweight title for the first time in a rivalry-charged showdown against Adesanya, headlining the upcoming pay-per-view event this weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.
The two fighters have been caught in a maelstrom of animosity for some time now and were originally expected to clash in September 2023. However, an injury sidelined “Stillknocks.” Consequently, Sean Strickland took the South African’s spot and dethroned Adesanya in a short-notice bout at UFC 293.
Following his loss, “The Last Stylebender” announced he would be stepping away from the Octagon for a while, choosing to focus on his mental health and reassess his career trajectory. During his absence, Du Plessis made a powerful comeback, defeating Strickland in a hard-fought split decision at UFC 297 to claim the 185-pound title.
“Mighty Mouse” believes these attributes give the Nigerian-born Kiwi a massive edge over a formidable power puncher like Du Plessis…
Johnson Confident Adesanya Shuts Down Du Plessis In Close-Range Fight
During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Johnson weighed in on the upcoming title clash between Du Plessis and Adesanya.
The reigning ONE Championship flyweight champion emphasized that the outcome of this fight will likely hinge on how well each fighter manages distance and navigates close-pocket exchanges.
“There is no secret I’m a big Izzy fan. I hope he wins,” Johnson said. “If Izzy does not go out there and (impose) his will on DDP, I think it’s going to be a long night for Izzy Adesanya. He does a very good job creating that void between him and his opponent and forcing them to come across the distance with his feints, his teeps, his high kicks, and his inside kicks—whatnot. That’s what he does best.”
“Mighty Mouse” went on to say that it will be crucial to observe how much Adesanya has evolved since his last fight and whether he can keep his emotions in check, avoiding reckless charges against “Stillknocks,” a masterful counter-striker.
“I’m looking at this fight to see how Izzy bounces back from his last loss against Sean Strickland,” Johnson added. “How is he going to approach this fight against DDP? There’s a lot of bad blood. Is Izzy going to let emotions take over the fight? I don’t foresee DDP knocking out Izzy unless Izzy makes a mistake. But if Izzy hasn’t evolved to where he’s like how he fought Robert Whittaker the first time, when he was sitting there hunting, it’s a risky game… If Izzy goes out there, implements and executes his game plan, and forces DDP to make a bad choice, to overextend in the void, or just goes out there and works him, I have Izzy winning that fight.”
In the co-main event of UFC 307, reigning women’s bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington puts her title on the line against former 135-pound queen Julianna Peña.
Pennington is set to make her first title defense since capturing the belt by unanimous decision against Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297 in January. The title was vacant at the time, following Amanda Nunes’ retirement.
Meanwhile, Peña is making her long-awaited return to the Octagon after an extended hiatus of over two years. She famously pulled off a major upset with a second-round submission victory over “The Lioness” at UFC 269, only to fall short in their rematch seven months later at UFC 277, losing by unanimous decision.
The undercard of this pay-per-view spectacle will feature an intriguing welterweight showdown between the seasoned Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and the surging Joaquin Buckley. Thompson last competed at UFC 296, where he suffered a second-round submission loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov. On the other hand, “New Mansa” is riding a wave of momentum with a four-fight win streak since dropping down to 170 pounds. His most recent victory came by decision against Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Fight Night St. Louis this past May.
Elsewhere on the card, Kevin Holland is slated to face Roman Dolidze in an intense middleweight showdown. Announced earlier this year, meanwhile, was a clash between undefeated featherweight Movsar Evloev and former bantamweight titleholder Aljamain Sterling.
With these additions to the card, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City on Oct. 5 are as follows:
Alex Pereira (C) vs. Khalil Rountree (light heavyweight championship main event)
UFC 305 headliner Israel Adesanya increased his prominence en route to the middleweight throne by adding the legendary name of Anderson Silva to his record in 2019.
Adesanya captured the 185-pound crown for the first time as an undefeated fighter by stopping Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 in October 2019. The result was the culmination of a successful 3-0 year in the cage for the Nigerian-New Zealander, and it started against a GOAT contender.
Eight months before his undisputed win, Adesanya shared the cage with Silva. The pair’s flashy striking styles collided in the UFC 234 main event, getting promoted to the headline spotlight on short notice after the cancellation of Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum’s scheduled title fight.
The three-round contest, which collected Fight of the Night honors, delivered plenty of highlights, with Adesanya ultimately running out a unanimous decision win over one of the greatest the sport has ever seen.
Ahead of Saturday’s event, the promotion has released the full Adesanya vs. Silva fight from UFC 234 on its official YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz_ecf5jYR0
Since that result, Adesanya has made good on the decision many made to brand his victory over Silva a passing of the torch moment. With two reigns and numerous notable wins, “The Last Stylebender” now sits just below “The Spider” in the division’s all-time list for many.
And he’ll have the chance to further cement that spot this weekend by achieving a record third crowning at 185 pounds at the expense of Du Plessis.
Michael Chandler has spent more time speaking about Conor McGregor than any other UFC fighter during the long and drawn out process to get both of them inside the Octagon.
When “Iron” Mike agreed to take this golden opportunity to welcome “The Notorious” back, he probably didn’t expect to be constantly speaking about whether or not the Irishman will ever face him.
Between his usual social media sprees of criticizing others or being seen having a great time at various events, the Irishman’s behaviour hasn’t altered from the outside looking in.
Michael Chandler Says Conor McGregor’s Online Antics Aren’t A Major Concern
Alongside that, he doesn’t see a huge issue with McGregor cutting lose and representing his various businesses when he doesn’t have a date secured for his eventual comeback.
“Conor lives his life the way that he wants to live his life. Conor is promoting two different liquor brands, so that’s tough — he needs to be seen with them. Obviously, if you look at it just from a social media standpoint, people think, ‘Man, he is definitely not dedicated.’ But if you guys expect him to be in a training camp right now as we speak, when there is no fight booked, then it’s unrealistic because every single fighter takes their hiatuses in different ways, whether it be drinking, whether it be going out, whether it be eating food that they want to indulge in, whether it’s staying out late. But yeah, there’s some concerning things that people have looked at and then called into question whether he’s coming back. I completely get that. I have a hunch that he is… I think he needs it for his own mental state.
“Also, deleted tweets have always been part of his brand. It’s always a part of his brand. He’s like, ‘I’m gonna tweet this. I’m gonna let it sit there for 20 minutes. I’m gonna let the entire world screenshot it, record it, have everybody retweet it and talk about it. And then I’m gonna delete it just because he’s an egomaniac.’”
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira’s next title defense has come out of nowhere.
Pereira, who is also a former middleweight kingpin on MMA’s biggest stage, has had a standout year thus far, defending the 205-pound gold he won last November twice at the expense of former champs Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka.
Both victories saw “Poatan” save the day in late-notice headliners, first at the milestone UFC 300 event and then by replacing Conor McGregor’s planned return as the main attraction for International Fight Week this past June.
With two outings in close proximity, many were expecting Pereira to take a decent chunk of time to rest and recuperate. That, however, is not the case.
The Brazilian already has his next assignment in the calendar, with UFC CEO Dana White announcing on Friday that “Poatan” will put his strap on the line against the #8-ranked Khalil Rountree at UFC 307.
The event is set for the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 5.
Pereira Targets 3 From 3 For Title Defenses In 2024
When he competes for the third time in six months, Pereira will be looking to likely cement Fighter of the Year status for 2024 by recording a third straight successful defense.
Pereira (11-2), a former two-weight Glory Kickboxing champion, only debuted at 205 pounds in the UFC just over a year ago following the end of his middleweight rule. A narrow victory over Jan Błachowicz was enough to book “Poatan” a spot opposite Procházka in a bout for the vacant belt.
And when they shared the cage inside Madison Square Garden, Pereira achieved two-division glory at record speed, adding a second piece of gold to his MMA trophy cabinet just two years on from his opening Octagon appearance. Having further cemented his legacy against Hill and in a rematch with “BJP,” the Brazilian now has yet another fellow power-puncher to contend with.
The choice of Rountree (13-5, 1 NC) as the next challenger has come as somewhat of a surprise, especially given Magomed Ankalaev’s position in the top five. “The War Horse,” in contrast, is down at #8 in the pecking order and recently had a likely title eliminator against Hill scrapped after a failed drugs test. Before that, Rountree knocked out Anthony Smith to make it five wins on the bounce.
The 34-year-old is still facing potential action from the Nevada State Athletic Commission following his recent Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) suspension, with a hearing scheduled for August 29 in Las Vegas.
With this and other additions to the card announced by White, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City on Oct. 5 are as follows:
Alex Pereira (C) vs. Khalil Rountree (light heavyweight championship main event)
UFC flyweight contender Kai Kara-France believes factors outside of the cage eliminate heavyweight champion Jon Jones from the GOAT conversation.
Not many debates continuously rage on in the mixed martial arts community quite like the GOAT back-and-forth, which usually sees the likes of Jones, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, and Demetrious Johnson, among others, vying for the all-time throne.
Seemingly leading the charge is “Bones,” a former two-time light heavyweight kingpin whose most recent outing saw him achieve two-division glory. Those pieces of gold sit alongside numerous records on MMA’s biggest stage.
Kara-France: ‘The Man Behind The Gloves’ Determines The UFC GOAT
During a fight week interview with Brook and Jordan from The Morning Shift, Kara-France answered a number of quick-fire questions, including on the subject of who holds the crown as the UFC’s greatest of all time.
While the accomplishments of Jones have left him as the clear pick in the eyes of many, “Don’t Blink” falls on the side of the debate that feels his antics outside of the Octagon take him out of the equation.
And when it comes to coupling in-cage feats with a stand-up personality and good actions away from fights, Kara-France thinks Volkanovski fits the bill perfectly.
“To be the GOAT, it’s more than just the fighting. It’s the person, it’s the man behind the gloves,” Kara-France said. “Volk (is the GOAT). Bro, the amount of challenges this guy’s had to overcome. He’s fought the best guys for years. I’ll leave it at that.”
Volkanovski is currently without a fight booked, having been unseated from the featherweight throne in violent fashion by Ilia Topuria this past February.
The Australian is, however, back in training, and with his frequent City Kickboxing training partners close to his home for UFC 305 this weekend, he’s been lending a helping hand for any last-minute preparations during fight week.
However, having recaptured the 185-pound title once before, the big question is whether the time that he has spent away will produce a rejuvenated Adesanya at UFC 305 this weekend.
He was incredibly active before taking a year off, and this meant that he was battling through injuries and potentially lost some focus heading into UFC 293 last September,
His loss to Sean Strickland was a shocking upset but it could have potentially led to what would be a third title reign for Adesanya.
Brendan Schaub Predicts Israel Adesanya Is Far From Done In MMA Following UFC 305
During his preview of all the action that is set to take place at UFC 305 this Saturday (Sunday local time) in Perth, Brendan Schaub gave his prediction for Adesanya’s path to retirement.
Unlike Du Plessis, he doesn’t think that “The Last Stylebender” is ready to walk away right now without becoming a UFC champion once again.
“This is how Izzy’s career is gonna go. He’s gonna beat Dricus, he’s gonna outclass him on Saturday. He’s gonna beat the s*** out of him, he’s gonna outclass this dude. It’s gonna be the old vintage Izzy. By old I mean, a year ago. He’s gonna beat the s*** out of him because he’s had rest, he’s no longer the hunted, he’s the hunter.
“He’s gonna beat Dricus, then he’s gonna fight Sean Strickland and he’s gonna be 100 percent focused. He’s gonna beat Sean Strickland. Then, he’s gonna take a break and then you’re gonna get Alex (Pereira) vs. Izzy at 205 (pounds); it’s his last fight ever and his wins over Dricus and Sean Strickland, I think there’s an argument now, makes him the greatest middleweight of all time. That’s how his story ends.”
Du Plessis’ “real African” comments early on in his UFC career and subsequent statements regarding being the first African-residing titleholder rubbed Adesanya the wrong way. And when the topic came up at the presser, emotions rose to the surface…
MMA Fans React To UFC 305 Presser: ‘DDP Making This Personal Was A Mistake’
After initially trading light-hearted barbs, a comment Du Plessis directed at Adesanya regarding “servants” increased tensions. “The Last Stylebender” fired back before later breaking down in tears while explaining his emotions.
The moment drew out plenty of reactions across the mixed martial arts community, with many pointing to Sean Strickland’s tears following trash talk from Du Plessis to acknowledge Adesanya as the second consecutive opponent whom the champ has made cry.
Others warned “Stillknocks” that he’s committed a grave mistake by making things so personal for Adesanya, who is returning from an 11-month layoff in pursuit of “taking heads.”
Dricus Du Plessis has lowkey the best trash talk in UFC right now. First he made Sean Strickland cry and now he is doing the same thing to Israel Adesanya. pic.twitter.com/i2bEIx7qRe
His frequent calls to secure a spot on the upcoming card Down Under were eventually answered in the form of a showdown with top-five contender Mateusz Gamrot. “The Hangman” will enter as a sizable underdog against “Gamer,” who has come under criticism in recent times for his control-heavy fight style.
And more than just Gamrot, the lightweight veteran believes a number of names high up the ladder took over the division by stifling those who have long kept up its reputation as an entertaining roster.
Hooker: Oliveira, Poirier, Gaethje, & Others ‘Stifled’ By Lightweight Grabbers
During a recent interview on the FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Hooker looked ahead to his opportunity to climb back into title contention at 155 pounds and assessed the current state of the weight class’ top five.
“The Hangman” put his upcoming opponent alongside champion Islam Makhachev and top contender Arman Tsarukyan as three names who moved toward the lightweight mountaintop by smothering any and all exciting styles.
“I guess it’s like the elites — not necessarily the elites, but lightweight is such a stacked division, there’s so many exciting fighters, (Charles) Oliveira, (Justin) Gaethje, (Dustin) Poirier, (Jalin) Turner, (Michael) chandler; there’s a lot of very exciting fighters within that,” Hooker said. “But now you can see the guys that — because obviously being an exciting fighter, wanting to go out there and perform, put on a show, put on an incredible fight for the fans, you need the other guy to oblige.
“If I go out there and say, ‘I just wanna go out there, slang some leather, put on an exciting fight,’ and the other guy’s plan is to just grab ahold of me and stifle me until he wins, then he’s gonna win,” Hooker continued. “I feel like the top echelon of the lightweight division now with Islam, Arman, and Gamrot is the guys that have just stifled the division. That’s why the lightweight division is in such a weird place now. These guys have been able to stifle the exciting guys.”
Hooker will look to put a stop to that trend and avoid being “stifled” by Gamrot at UFC 305 this Saturday night (Sunday morning local time).
Contingency plans are in place for at least one of the championship fights set for Noche UFC at the Sphere, should there be a late-notice withdrawal.
The organization will stage its second celebration of Mexican Independence Day on September 14 following the success of the inaugural event in 2023. Las Vegas will once again play host, but the Octagon will be in extremely different surroundings.
Tasked with delivering fireworks inside the cage will be the four headliners, who will look to exit the Sphere with gold in their possession. That’s bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili in the main event, while flyweight queen Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko are set to complete their trilogy in the co-headliner.
Injuries and illness forcing late-notice cancellations is never ideal, not least for an event of this magnitude. With that in mind, many have suggested that backups will likely be sought for the two bouts at the top of the lineup.
And by the sounds of things, one is locked in…
Fiorot Expected To Serve As Backup For Grasso vs. Shevchenko 3
During a recent interview with Boxemag, coach Aldric Cassata claimed that the #2-ranked Manon Fiorot has been “officially” confirmed as the backup fighter for Grasso vs. Shevchenko 3 on Sept. 14.
Should her services not be required on fight night after making championship weight, the trainer suggested “The Beast” will have the chance to cash in on her earned title shot by facing the winner either at the end of this year or early 2025.
“Manon is officially backup for the belt; she will be in Vegas,” Cassata said (h/t MMA Mania). “If there is no injury (to Grasso or Shevchenko), I think the (title fight) will be at the end of the year or the beginning of next year.”
Fiorot put herself in prime position for a first championship opportunity on MMA’s biggest stage by getting the better of the highly regarded Erin Blanchfield in the main event of the Atlantic City-held UFC Fight Night this past March.
That result moved the Frenchwoman to a 7-0 record in the UFC, following decision triumphs over the likes of Tabatha Ricci, Mayra Bueno Silva, Katlyn Cerminara, and Rose Namajunas.
It remains to be seen whether Fiorot will need to don the custom, Mexico-inspired fight kits to compete at the Sphere this fall. If not, it would appear that the Sept. 14 victor already has their next opponent set.
Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya knows the mistakes Dricus Du Plessis’ past opponents made that he cannot afford to replicate this weekend.
Adesanya, on the other hand, will be targeting a record third title crowning in the division — a feat yet to be achieved by any middleweight. To do so, the Nigerian-New Zealander must achieve another first.
The South African champ is yet to taste defeat on MMA’s biggest stage, going 7-0 to secure his place on the throne. Among those to fall to Du Plessis’ rise are the great Robert Whittaker and recent titleholder Sean Strickland.
But “The Last Stylebender” believes he knows how to avoid joining that list of victims, and the errors made by the likes of “The Reaper.”
Adesanya Won’t Play Into Du Plessis’ ‘Game’ At UFC 305
During an interview for UFC.com, Adesanya looked ahead to his opportunity to make history in Perth, which comes 11 months on from his shock title defeat to Strickland in Sydney last time out.
While he and Du Plessis certainly have their differences, both have expressed glimpses of praise for one another’s ability. And “The Last Stylebender” recently threw his opponent’s “spirit” and “toughness” into that mix while identifying the areas in which the South African’s past UFC rivals have failed to give him the necessary respect.
“They underestimate his spirit, his toughness,” Adesanya said. “He’s a tough guy. Also, they play his game. He makes it really dirty. And when I say dirty, it’s not in a bad way. He makes it really ugly and messy and then shoots on them and strikes from all angles and a different pace and cadence. I’ve looked at it, I’ve watched it for a while, and I look forward to exploiting it. He’s going to try to exploit me, but again, we shall see.
“When it’s time to go, when I lock in, and I’m really locked in, I destroy people,” Adesanya continued. “And this one, I’ve been really locked in for this fight and I’m going to destroy this guy.”
Having identified what he needs to be wary of, Adesanya will hope to make good on his promise to make Du Plessis’ reign a short one come fight night Down Under.
We’re deep into UFC 305 fight week, meaning it was time for the top fighters set to be in action on August 17 to take to the stage and answer some questions.
Setting the stage for the headliners will be Perth’s own Steve Erceg and Adesanya’s fellow City Kickboxing standout Kai Kara-France. The former will look to bounce back from his narrow title defeat to Alexandre Pantoja in Brazil this past May, while his Kiwi opponent returns over a year on from a setback opposite Amir Albazi last time out.
Also of note on the main card is the chance for Dan Hooker to return to the lightweight title picture against top-five contender Mateusz Gamrot, a likely guaranteed knockout when Tai Tuivasa and Jairzinho Rozenstruik collide, and the comeback of “The Leech” Li Jingliang.
As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes took to the stage on Friday afternoon local time for the pre-fight press conference. The UFC 305 edition saw the final eight fighters set to be in action with mic in hand.
Check out a stream of the presser below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, followed by the highlights and faceoffs.
Daniel Cormier recently weighed in on reigning UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis’ ambitions to become a two-division titleholder in the future.
“Stillknocks” is set to make his first title defense against former longtime champion Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305, which will take place this weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.
Du Plessis was targeted to challenge “The Last Stylebender” at UFC 293, but an injury forced him to withdraw. During his absence, Adesanya suffered an upset, losing the middleweight title to Sean Strickland in a short-notice bout last September.
The South African staged an impressive comeback, narrowly defeating Strickland in a grueling split decision at UFC 297 to claim the middleweight title. Now, heading into UFC 305, he has boldly declared his intent to conquer Adesanya and has already mapped out his future plans.
During an appearance on The Sias Du Plessis Show in May, “Stillknocks” laid out his ambitious plans. He stated that after defeating Adesanya, his next move would likely be to defend his middleweight title against either Khamzat Chimaev or Robert Whittaker, who are set to face off at UFC 308 in October. Following that, he plans to move up to the light heavyweight division, aiming to achieve his dream of becoming a champ-champ.
Cormier, one of the select few to have held UFC titles in two divisions, endorsed Du Plessis’ goals, expressing confidence that they are well within reach…
Cormier States He’s ‘Done Doubting’ Du Plessis’ Capabilities
During a recent interview with Submission Radio, “DC” shared his insights on Du Plessis’ upcoming title defense against Adesanya. The UFC Hall of Famer praised “Stillknocks” for mastering a highly unorthodox fighting style that leaves his opponents struggling to decipher his moves. Cormier believes this unique approach will be a key factor in Du Plessis’ success at UFC 305.
“The problem with Dricus is that the things he does don’t look like everybody else’s. His feet may cross at an odd time, he may throw a punch from a weird angle, or he might do a takedown in a weird way, but it’s working. So you have to accept that just because it looks different, it’s not wrong—it’s his way, right? It’s his style, and he’s mastered it. He’s mastered it to the point that he’s the world champion. So I think that awkwardness will play to his benefit on Saturday night.”
Cormier expressed confidence in Du Plessis’ ability to successfully make the leap to the light heavyweight division, saying he’s seen enough from the South African to believe in his potential. However, he noted that success will also hinge on securing favorable matchups.
“I’m not doubting him no more. I’m just done doubting Dricus Du Plessis, man. I think he can do whatever he wants, you know? He’s shown time and time again that he can do anything, and Alex Pereira showed that it’s possible, right? Going from middleweight to light heavyweight and winning, and winning a lot. So yeah, I think he could, under the right circumstances. A lot of times it’s about matchups, right? The right person holding the belt is what makes you make that decision, and I think with the right matchup, Dricus can be a double champ.”
Mateusz Gamrot recently predicted that the UFC 305 main event between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya would play out much like his own showdown with Dan Hooker.
UFC 305 is set to rock the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia, this weekend with a stacked array of fights. The highly anticipated pay-per-view will be headlined by a middleweight title clash, where Du Plessis defends his UFC belt for the first time against Adesanya. The co-main event features a high-stakes flyweight showdown between Kai Kara-France and Steve Erceg, while the main card also boasts a pivotal lightweight bout between Gamrot and Hooker.
“The Last Stylebender” enters this fight after the longest hiatus of his UFC career, following a shocking title loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023. Despite coming off a defeat and a year-long layoff, Adesanya is still slightly favored to win against Du Plessis, largely due to his dominant title reign and highly technical fighting style.
However, Gamrot believes that Adesanya has some vulnerabilities that “Stillknocks” will exploit, much like he plans to do against his own opponent, Hooker…
Gamrot Believes Adesanya’s Wrestling Falls Short Of His Striking
During UFC 305 media day on Wednesday, Gamrot offered his prediction for the main event. “Gamer” acknowledged that while Adesanya’s striking is exceptional, he falls short when it comes to wrestling and grappling. Gamrot predicted that Du Plessis will exploit these weaknesses to put Adesanya under pressure, much like he intends to do against Hooker in their own bout.
“I think Dricus [will win],” Gamrot said. “I like the guy, we have a good relationship. He is good everywhere like he’s—maybe this matchup is similar to my matchup against Hooker. So, Adesanya is a high-level striker, but his wrestling and jiu-jitsu, I think, are not super. I don’t know, but I can think about that—jiu-jitsu and wrestling are not at the same level as his striking. So if Dricus takes him down, then the fight will be much easier for him, and I think the power is much different between Adesanya and Dricus. So, my prediction is that Dricus will win this fight.”
“Gamer” is riding a three-fight win streak and is set to return to the Octagon after a commanding unanimous decision victory over Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC 299 this past March.
Kai Kara-France recently suggested that Muhammad Mokaev’s grappling-centric approach was a key factor leading to his release from the UFC.
Mokaev secured a unanimous decision victory over Manel Kape in their heated grudge match at UFC 304 last month. The intense rivalry between the two flyweight contenders spilled over into an eventful fight week, marked by several unsightly confrontations and even a brief physical altercation.
Despite earning his seventh consecutive victory in the Octagon, UFC CEO Dana White revealed during the UFC 304 post-fight press conference that “The Punisher” would not be re-signed.
Mokaev acknowledged that his conduct was out of line and issued a public apology to the UFC through a series of posts on X. Despite his remorse and even offering to fight for free, the MMA promotion remained steadfast in their decision, leading to his removal from the official flyweight rankings.
Kara-France Takes Aim at Mokaev After UFC Release: ‘This Is The Hurt Business’
During the UFC 305 media day on Wednesday, Kara-France shared his thoughts on the current landscape of the UFC flyweight division and his upcoming bout against Erceg. The former interim title challenger emphasized that the division is wide open, with a title shot up for grabs for anyone who delivers a strong performance against top-tier opponents.
“It’s a funny time for flyweights, especially as contenders, because it’s wide open—anyone can beat anyone, and anyone can get a title shot,” Kara-France said. “When I told my coach Eugene [Bareman] and my manager Ash [Ashley Belcastro] I want to fight on this Perth card, Steve’s name came across the table, and straight away we knew this was the fight to take. We want to fight the guys that just fought for the belt, and that’s how I took it back to fighting for a world title—take him out in his hometown, and look, whoever’s the champ when it’s time to go, that’s the clear pathway.”
“Don’t Blink” went on to comment on Mokaev’s departure from the UFC, suggesting that it was largely due to his fighting style. He emphasized that in MMA, it’s not just about winning—it’s about putting on a show. Fans and the promotion want to see fighters who are willing to leave it all in the Octagon and truly entertain.
“There’s been a lot of guys that have come through and done really well. Mokaev is a guy that was obviously winning, but this isn’t wrestling, this isn’t grappling, this isn’t doing the bare minimum just to win—this is an entertainment sport, this is the hurt business. If you’re not in there to entertain and lay it all on the line, people want to see that heart, that courage, that willingness to go all in and get the knockout. Or not just the knockout, but go in there and show why you should be co-headlining, not on the prelims. That’s why Steve and I are in this position because that’s what we do—we go out there and fight, not just talk about it and build it up.”
Kara-France is returning to the Octagon after a year-long hiatus following a controversial split-decision loss to Amir Albazi in June 2023. The 31-year-old New Zealander is currently on a two-fight skid, which also includes a TKO defeat at the hands of Brendon Moreno during their interim title clash at UFC 277 in July 2022.
“Don’t Blink” is eager to reverse his fortunes and reclaim his spot in the title conversation with a decisive victory over Erceg this weekend.
Dan Hooker recently shared an amusing story about how he struck up an unlikely friendship with a fan, despite their first encounter involving him tossing a drink at them.
Earlier this month, “The Hangman” attended a rugby match at Go Media Stadium in Auckland, accompanied by his City Kickboxing teammate Kai Kara-France, to cheer on their prized New Zealand Warriors as they faced off against the Parramatta Eels.
As the match progressed, the Parramatta Eels started to gain the upper hand, which was already enough to frustrate Hooker. But to make matters worse, a fan began taunting, pushing him past his breaking point.
In a viral video making the rounds on social media, the UFC lightweight fighter is seen dashing through the stands before launching a drink at the fan, hitting him squarely. The fan seemed intent on continuing his taunts at Hooker, who responded by playfully pretending to hurl his shoe in retaliation.
Video emerges on TikTok of Dan Hooker throwing drinks at fans at a sporting event recently 😳‼️
Thankfully, what started as a tense moment turned out to be lighthearted banter, as “The Hangman” and the fan have since patched things up and are now on friendly terms…
Hooker & Fan Plan To Catch The Next Game Together
During the UFC 305 media day on Wednesday, Hooker gave a full account of his encounter with the fan at the recent Warriors vs. Parramatta Eels game.
“So Kai invited me to watch our home team, The Warriors, and as you know, I’m a very passionate Warriors supporter,” Hooker said. “And there was another cob from the other team, the Parramatta Eels, and he was standing up there, rubbing it in. The boys were getting pumped; I think we were 20 points down at halftime, and every time they scored, he was kind of rubbing it in. So I said, ‘I’m going to start getting into this bloke,’ so we were absolutely spraying each other. It was like the most fun I’ve had at the game in a long time. And then, every time they scored, he was getting up, and he was looking at me and going, ‘Hey, you like that, Hangman?
The 34-year-old New Zealander revealed that after their playful exchange, he made amends with the fan through social media and even promised to join him for the next game at the stadium.
Usually, if you have seen me before, I throw my shoes at people, but I had my Timberlands boots on, and I don’t throw my Timberlands, so I fired a drink at them. But he messaged me after, and he’s like, ‘I wanted to grab a picture with you, where’d you go?’ And I said, ‘Oh, Kai made me leave, so I had to go home.’ But no, I messaged him. I follow him on Instagram now. I said we’ll go to the next game together, and we can just spray each other sitting next to each other.”
Hooker is currently fueled by the surge of a two-fight win streak, with his most recent triumph being a hard-fought split-decision victory over Jalin Turner at UFC 290 in July 2023. He was initially slated to make his comeback against Bobby Green at UFC Fight Night Austin last December, but an unfortunate setback forced him to withdraw after re-injuring his arm.
Despite the difference in weight classes between them, the younger of the Tafa brothers hopes that he can run through a Walker family gauntlet in his coming fights.
Junior Tafa Says He’d Like To Fight Both Of The ‘Cool Cat’ Walker Brothers
During his media day interview ahead of his clash with Walker this weekend in Perth, Tafa gave his opinion on his opponent’s brother.
He said that he would be very keen on the idea of facing both of them during his UFC tenure which would be possible with his aspirations of competing at 205-pounds.
“Yeah preparation is good, watched a little bit of tape but yeah, I’d like to fight both of the Walker brothers if I could. I want to campaign down to light heavyweight and his brother would like to come after too.”
Tafa then clarified that he has no personal vendetta against this particular family or the fighters they produce and if anything, wants to fight them because he’s a fan of what they do.
“I’m a fan of their fighting style, they’re cool cats you know but, be cool to do both of them ay.”
In the time that Israel Adesanya has been away from the Octagon following the longest break of his UFC career, his former rival has been firing on all cylinders.
“The Last Stylebender” is always going to have a special connection with Alex Pereira following the four times that they have competed against one another.
Since that huge victory against his Brazilian nemesis, Pereira seems to have only gotten stronger by moving up to light heavyweight, becoming champion and making himself one of the biggest stars in the promotion.
Israel Adesanya Shows Love To His Former Rival Alex Pereira
Adesanya doesn’t hold a grudge against Pereira due to their history with one another and the same can be said for “Poatan”.
Both men have been very complimentary of one another now that their feud has been settled, at least, for the time being.
In a fight week interview with Daniel Cormier, Adesanya took the time to give props to the man that has caused him more problems inside the cage or ring than anyone else.
“I watched the Pereira fight again last night, it was on YouTube, and I was just like scrolling past and I watched it and there was certain sequences I was just like, I was making him move back. I was really pushing him back and for me, I’m so happy with what he’s doing right now, I’m like bro…”
After Cormier responded by asking, “Can you believe how good this dude is?”, to which Adesanya made it very clear that he knows better than almost anyone just how good Pereira is.
“I know! I fought him four times! I f****** know! Bro, every time I fought him, I knew I could get him till he got me and then now, here we are.”
Being an analyst of the fight game means that you don’t always get to be positive about every fighter and that can come with some complications.
Via their podcast together, Pound 4 Pound, former UFC champions Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman break down the biggest fights in combat sports.
They both try to be honest and that means hurting some feelings along the way if people end up hearing their criticisms.
Whilst some fighters may take a private dislike to others for the things they hear them say during pre or post-fight comments, there are others that have no problem making the analyst aware of this.
Cejudo returned from the Paris Olympics on the most recent episode where he told a story about being confronted by one of the most intimidating men on the UFC roster.
Henry Cejudo Describes Paris Confrontation With Khamzat Chimaev
After giving Usman several guesses at who had wanted to fight him in Paris by telling “The Nigerian Nightmare” that it was a wrestler that he has shared the Octagon with, Cejudo eventually revealed that it was Khamzat Chimaev who had a problem with him.
Cejudo said that whilst he never found out from the middleweight contender himself, he expects that Chimaev’s issue with him stems from comments he has made in the past about his ability as a fighter.
“Oh f***, I don’t know dude. I think these dudes take s*** so personable dude, I don’t know. I think obviously me cheering for you, me cheering for ‘Borrachinha’, me kind of telling the truth a little bit because I think as an analyst, people get a little, you have to tell the truth and I think that’s my biggest, I think that’s what, yeah I am comical and whatnot but typically when I do say certain things, it’s because I mean it.”
Cejudo then went on to explain what actually happened between them, which essentially boiled down to Chimaev scolding him from far away whilst being surrounded by an entourage.
“So that’s why I think but I was here, he was at the ticket line, I was outside trying to get my damn tickets because everything was sold out and I don’t even think he could get in either and then he sees me and he says like, ‘Henry Cejudo, you’re a rat piece of s***’. I kind of had a feeling this dude kind of had a, because he’s blocking from a lot of social media stuff. So then I’m just like, ‘Why? Why am I a piece of s***?’ And he said I’m just a piece of s***, like this is probably like 50-feet away like from each other.”
“I’m a troll 100% but to the level of trolling that I do, I’m a level of extreme even more so as a competitor. Something like this could really hurt Khamzat in the sense of him being truly emotional because how many fights has he pulled out of and how many fans and trolls you think are trolling him and how upset could you get? And the last thing you want to do is actually fight emotional.”
“Big” John McCarthy recently took Israel Adesanya to task, criticizing the former UFC middleweight champion for his past lapses in Octagon etiquette.
“The Last Stylebender” is slated to challenge reigning titleholder Dricus Du Plessis in the long-awaited main event of UFC 305, set to unfold this weekend at the iconic RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.
Similarly, after his TKO win over Paulo Costa at UFC 253 in September 2020, “The Last Stylebender” stirred controversy with his post-fight antics, delivering a few humiliating parting “humps” from behind to his opponent.
“Big John,” often hailed as the pioneer of MMA refereeing, strongly disapproves of Adesanya’s behavior…
McCarthy Says He Would Have Corrected Adesanya’s Attitude
During a recent episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast with Josh Thomson, McCarthy weighed in on the brewing animosity between Du Plessis and Adesanya ahead of their clash at UFC 305. The seasoned MMA referee predicted that once the fight concludes, the tension between them will dissipate, and they will likely show mutual respect toward each other.
“The whole point is, like, all of that goes out the window when they fight,” McCarthy said. “It’s not about where you’re from, it’s about what you bring.”
McCarthy went on to voice his disdain for Adesanya’s post-fight actions with Costa, stating that had he been the referee for that bout, he would have unequivocally impressed upon Izzy that such behavior tarnishes the integrity of the sport.
“Izzy’s done a lot of things. If you take a look, he did the whole thing, if you remember, with Paulo Costa. Okay, I’m telling you right now, if I was refereeing that fight, I would have stopped the fight. I would have f**king taken him off. I would have f**king taken points from him. I would have f**king changed his attitude as far as ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ Okay? You don’t do things in that cage that are disrespectful to the sport, disrespectful to your promoter, disrespectful to the fans, disrespectful to your opponent. You don’t do it. You know, you get the chance to—you can punch him in the face, but you don’t have to do the other bullsh*t.”
