The RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, will rock, and the fans will be loudly supporting the local fighters on Saturday, August 17, for UFC 305.
The UFC heads back to the Land Down Under for one of the most significant main events of the year when UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis defends his title against an all-time great and bitter rival, Israel Adensanya.
Du Plessis and Adesanya have engaged in bitter trash talk for two years, and they’ll finally get a chance to settle it in the Octagon with the greatest prize in the sport on the line.
This fight checks every box regarding the four Ss: Style matchup, Spite, Stars, and Stakes.
Here is a look at every fight on the card. Every fight but two on the card has a fighter who hails from or currently trains in Australia or New Zealand.
Also, the card has nine fighters who are currently ranked in the Top 15 in their respective weight classes.
UFC 305 – Main Card
- (c) Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya – UFC Middleweight Championship
- Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg
- Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker
- Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
- Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates
UFC 305 – Undercard
- Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker
- Joshua Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos
- Casey O’Neill vs. Luana Santos
- Stewart Nicoll vs. Jesus Aguilar
- Song Kenan vs. Ricky Glenn
- Jack Jenkins vs. Herbert Burns
- Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes
The co-main event could divide the crowd, and the stakes are high. Long-time flyweight contender and native New Zealander Kai Kara France will attempt to solidify his No. 4 ranking against recent title challenger, Australian-born Steve Erceg.
In Erceg’s last fight, he narrowly missed dethroning Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 301. A tactical error in the final round might have cost him the championship. In which case, this fight at UFC 305 might have been a title defense rather than a bout to position him for another shot at the crown potentially.
As it is, Erceg will face an opponent in Kara France, who hasn’t fought in more than a year. France is currently on a two-fight losing streak, having suffered a split-decision defeat to Amir Albazi in June 2023 and a TKO defeat to Brandon Moreno in July 2022 with the interim title on the line.
Both losses are respectable, but the last thing France wants is to leave Perth on a three-fight losing streak. If you’re looking for potential breakout stars from the event, watch Australia’s Stewart Nicoll. He’s an undefeated flyweight with an excellent finish rate and’ll be on a mission to impress.
Also, Fighting Nerds product Carlos Prates has been on a tear. He’s 3-0 in the UFC, with finishes in every fight. He faces welterweight veteran Li Jianglang in a battle that could easily produce a performance bonus.
The top of the card is stacked, and the building should have plenty of energy. Be on the lookout for event coverage beginning on Fight Week, which starts on August 11.
