UFC is to return to Australia for UFC 305 in Perth on August 17, 2024, at the RAC Arena. This event will be a big one as it features a middleweight title fight between current champion Dricus Du Plessis and former two-time champ Israel Adesanya.
🚨FIGHT ALERT🚨
Israel Adesanya announces he’s fighting Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305 in Perth on Aug 17/18.
“The SUN of Africa is the same sun that lights up our planet.
“The SUN will set & will rise again until you walk into it.
“The SUN, enjoy while it shines. Darkness… pic.twitter.com/t0nBibIV1a
— Chisanga Malata (@Chisanga_Malata) June 17, 2024
From Pretoria, South Africa; Dricus Du Plessis won the middleweight title against Sean Strickland by split decision in January. This win was monumental for him because not only did he become his country’s first born-and-bred UFC champion but also this marked another step forward after having shown outstanding performances coupled with relentless ambition internationally recognized.
Israel Adesanya, the New Zealand-based fighter claimed the middleweight belt in 2019 which he then went on to defend successfully multiple times until losing it to arch-nemesis Alex Pereira only to win it back with a brutal knockout of his own in a rematch. Then Adesanys went on to lose his title a second time against short-notice replacement Sean Strickland back in September 2023, an upset that still ranks among one of greatest upsets ever witnessed during any bout contested under the UFC banner but it did not dampen his spirits or desire for redemption over what he believes was wrongfully taken from him.
Bad blood spills over at UFC 305
Du Plessis and Adesanya have been feuding for quite some time now since they first met each other inside the octagon following Dricus’s shock TKO victory over Robert Whittaker back in July last year where there were very heated exchanges between them setting up future confrontation however their path towards meeting again with the championship on line was far away plain sailing.
🇳🇬 Israel Adesanya nous tease (ou officialise) un combat face au champion MW 🇿🇦 Dricus Du Plessis à #UFC305.
De manière assez perverse, je suis persuadé que l’UFC va nous faire une promotion en ouvrant un débat identitaire africain dans la promotion du combat.😅 https://t.co/e3CruIaDOJ pic.twitter.com/wrM6dvsFAC
— MMA PROPAGANDE 👊🇫🇷 (@MMAPropagande) June 17, 2024
When Strickland stripped Adesanya of his belt, Du Plessis worked hard to cement himself as Africa’s maiden holder of that same strap.
Adesanya made it official on June 17th, 2024 when he took to social media and posted about their upcoming fight. Alongside this post was a fan-made poster for the event which read: “The SUN of Africa is the same sun that lights up our planet. The SUN will set and will rise again until you walk into it. The SUN, enjoy while it shines. Darkness falls when it’s gone.” This poetic announcement only increased excitement around this bout. For Du Plessis though, this contest marks not just his first-ever defense but also an opportunity to cement himself as one of the greatest middleweights in history.
The UFC made RAC Arena in Perth an important venue for their events. For the third time ever, a PPV event will be held here. The first one was in 2018 at UFC 221: Romero vs. Rockhold and the second one took place five years later at UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski. This stadium has always been known as having a great atmosphere and passionate fight fans which makes it perfect for this high-stakes fight.
The closer we get to UFC 305, the more we can feel the tension building around Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya’s middleweight title clash. Du Plessis will be looking to defend his belt for the first time whilst Adesanya hopes to regain it after losing it. Whether it’s the styles clashing or some history between them both these fighters are sure to put on an unforgettable show at RAC Arena in Perth on Saturday night! There is no doubt many people all over the world will be eagerly awaiting this epic fight that could determine who is the better man.
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