Former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya announced on Monday that he would face reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305 on August 17 in Perth, Australia.
While the UFC is yet to confirm the fight card, a social media post from Adesanya and a recent video hint from Dana White, the UFC President, made the matchup possible.
This would be the first time Adesanya competes inside the Octagon since he lost the belt to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023.
On the other hand, this will be the first title defence for South African UFC fighter Du Plessis since he came up with a monumental victory over Strickland in January to clinch his first UFC championship for South Africa. The middleweight division has gained huge anticipation, and this showdown between two of the world’s top fighters assures everyone of an unforgettable encounter.
Du Plessis, for his part, told ESPN’s Leonard Solms in March that he was expecting to be ready to fight again by the summer. He added that opposing Adesanya in South Africa was “absolutely” his dream scenario.
“Fighting Izzy on home soil would be the ideal,” he said. “That would be ticking a lot of boxes. He’s one of the best to ever do it in the middleweight division.
“Some fans might bristle at the idea that Adesanya, who hasn’t fought since his upset with Strickland, is immediately back in line for a title fight. This is unquestionably a battle worthy enough to headline a major pay-per-view, though.
This is, in essence, a battle that most of the fans are looking forward to: Adesanya vs. Du Plessis.
Just by this card, UFC 305 is good and solid enough to qualify as one of the most loaded cards of the year, and this headlining act will definitely bring continuous action and drama.
2 Comments
Pingback: Namibia to Face Angola, Lesotho, and Seychelles in the Cosafa Cup - Mbamali
Pingback: Kamaru Usman Reveals Jorge Masvidal as the Fighter Who Scared Him the Most - Mbamali