UFC and Australia have a special bond. A type that needs to be reaffirmed from time to time. The time of confirmation has come and UFC 305 has a date and time set in stone. For all the fans from the Land Down Under August 18th is the day to be marked on the calendar and as many times before, and as it will be in the future the host city is Perth.
For people who keep an eye on UFC the last time the caravan was in Perth was an event to be remembered. You probably recall the amazing lightweight bout between Islam Makhachev and Alex Volkanovski. A Classic! The Australian fighter was inches away from becoming a two-division champion of the world. In one month, we can expect some other fighters to make a name for themselves, or for some stars of the past events to start shining once again.
If you haven’t been paying attention, the main and co-main events are already scheduled with a few more interesting fights. This is the right time to make your UFC picks for the 305 edition. Considering that there’s still plenty of time till the main event, some of the duels are confirmed while some interesting ones are still rumored. Let us start with the most interesting duel, and move on down the list.
Dricus du Plessis (c) vs. Israel Adesanya
The top of the card is reserved for a classic that Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya is going to be. Once again, the middleweight title is on the table and we have two familiar names fighting for it. For all the fans of the styles that Dricus and The Last Stylebender practice this is going to be a match for the ages. Fighters like these turn casual fans into loyal ones. Their previous records speak the story of this bout for themselves. In their careers, du Plessis and Israel Adesanya have a score of 21-2 for Dricus and 24-3 for Israel.
The two men had a stand-off in the cage after du Plessis managed to defeat Robert Whittaker at UFC 290. Adesanya was more than eager to face him as soon as possible but in the meantime, he lost the title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in Sydney. This is the primary reason why the South African fighter was the one to go against Strickland instead and also managed to take the title from him.
There’s plenty on the table for both fighters and they’re approaching the bout from different angles. Dricus du Plessis will have a chance to defend the title for the first time, while Adesanya will try to pray it back to his yard once again after managing to win, defend, retain, lose, and get back the title all during his illustrious career.
Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg
While we’re not talking about massive names in the world of MMA, Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg has all the markings of a classic fight. Both men started their UFC careers on high notes with Erceg currently standing at 12-2 in his career while Kara-France pushed hard with 24-11.
Erceg is the one with the brightest path ahead of him according to pundits. The loss against Alexandre Pantoja was a failed attempt at a coup at the championship and with a win against Kai he would be on an ideal path to make another title shot.
On the other end of the octagon, we have Kai Kara-France who is seen as one of the strongest fighters in the division. He has proven over and over again to be a tough nut to crack and this bout will be no different. Both men are aiming to become title contenders before managing to win one for themselves. If you want to see how they fare according to bookies for this bout please check out these UFC picks on upcoming fights.
Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
UFC 305 is going to have one of the more interesting heavyweight bouts in recent memory. The Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik duel will be a clash that will have fans’ eyes paralyzed on the octagon. Tai Tuivasa is an Australian fighter who despite a mixed 14-7 career score manages to attract fans to his fights due to a relentless fight. A knockout master in his own right, this fight will be an attempt at a comeback to the main events at some future UFC events because he’s currently on a cold streak of four consecutive defeats.
The challenger, who in this case is Jairzinho Rozenstruik is a rather similar fighter who owns a 14-5 record in his career. What promises a match for the ages is the fact that Jairzinho won 13 out of 14 matches via knockout. Will he manage to do the same in Perth? Tune in and find out.
Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker
For all the fans of the heavyweight division, UFC 305 at Perth is going to be an event worth remembering. Here, we have two rather inexperienced fighters. The local hero from Brisbane, Tafa, started his career with a 5-2 score. Opposing him is a bit more experienced battler from Brazil, Walker who currently stands at 11-1 which makes him a favorite according to the latest UFC betting odds.
Both fighters are entering this bout coming off defeats, and are eager to prove their worth. Tafa’s loss came in the hands of Marcos Rogerio de Lima, while Walker’s only defeat came in his UFC debut which he will be looking to leave behind and reignite his UFC career with a win against Junior Tafa.
Jack Jenkins vs. Gavin Tucker
In a duel between the Land Down Under and the Great White North, Jenkins and Tucker are going to cross their spears. The Australian fighter is on an impressive 12-3 run in his professional career and is facing a similarly ranked Canadian fighter Tucker who stands at 13-3 at the moment. This featherweight bout holds all the bragging rights inside the division.
Jenkins had all the cards falling his way before he suffered a gruesome elbow injury during UFC 293 in Sydney. Now he’s back, refreshed and fully healed. For some pundits, this should be enough to put a dent in Tucker’s hopes of a win. At the moment, the Canadian fighter is spiraling down after losing in his last two bouts. The fans of Jack Jenkins will be hoping that a third is on the way.
Josh Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos
The local fans have plenty to look forward to with the upcoming UFC 305. One of the best local fighters is the featherweight prodigy Josh Culibao who currently has a score of 11-3-1 in his professional MMA career. While making a name for himself, he will need to take out an experienced Brazilian fighter Ricardo Ramos (16-6) first.
Both fighters are in a bit of a sloppy territory regarding their form as both have lost their last two bouts. This match will be a great opportunity for both men to get back to winning ways. Culibao lost both of his matches by the judge’s decision showing that he could stand up until the end making him the favorite to win this duel on the home court.
Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes
The lightweight division offers some really interesting duels from time to time, and this duel is one of those. Tom Nolan started his professional career 6-0 before attracting the attention of UFC scouts. The level of competition once you join UFC is on another level, so his 1-1 start was to be expected. Contender Series was a walk in the park, but the future is not looking as bright as of right now.
Yet, the man nicknamed the Big Train can make a stand at UFC 305 when he faces Alex Reyes, an USA fighter who currently stands at 13-4. His story is an interesting and aspiring one having his career cut short by a spinal infection rendering him unable to fight for five years. A man who was once doubted to be able to ever walk again will once again fight inside an octagon in a UFC event. An inspiring take, and thus a match even casual fans need to watch and see the conclusion of Reyes’ tale.
Casey O’Neill vs. Tereza Bleda
Bleda is a Czech star on the rise with an MMA record of 7-1. This match could be a statement bout for her and put her into the basket with all the other title contenders. Across her at the UFC 305, we will have King Casey who started her career with a 9-0 score.
While she was a high-flier her career took a downturn when a freak rupture of her ACL occurred. Because of this, and some other factors, she is currently on a two-match losing streak. Before this, Casey was seen as the main contender in the flyweight division, and she aims to become one once again. After all, despite being born in Scotland, her ties lie with the Golden Coast of Australia, and she will be aiming to make a comeback in Perth.
Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates
Here is another match that could signal a comeback for one of the fighters. Li has been on a hiatus for two years, dating back to September 2022. His spine injury is not one to scuff at but he appears to be more than ready to take the mantle back at UFC 305. Is he rusty? We’ll see, but betting outlets such as Stake do not favor him against Prates and it’s with a good reason.
The Brazilian hard-hitter holds a 19-6 MMA record, but what makes him a favorite is the fact that he’s currently on an 11-fight win streak. The majority of his career is tied to the Contender Series, but even after entering the UFC the streak hasn’t ended. Carlos will try to make it three when he faces the injury-riddled Li Jingliang.
The Rumored Bouts for UFC 305
While UFC and its leader Dana White always try to be tight-lipped about upcoming events, it would appear that we have a few leaks for UFC 305. After the scandalous delays and cancellations in the hands of Conor McGregor and Khamzat Chimaev, Dana allowed himself to be a bit reckless too. That’s why we can speak of a few matches that are not confirmed but could be on the card in one month.
During one of his talks to the public, Dana White had a table with fighter names in his background. It was evident that Israel Adesanya, Song Yadong, Jack Della Maddalena, Drakkar Klose, and Steve Erceg were in his plans.
While some of these names have their fights scheduled, others are still not on the card. Considering that the name of Dan Hooker, a New Zealand fighter is also in the mix, he’s the one who is most likely to make an appearance at the UFC 305. Those close to the organization claim that a lightweight fight between Hooker and Klose could be on the cards. What might disperse this rumor is the fact that Hooker stated that he already accepted a bout against Charles Oliveira.
What will happen at the UFC 305 remains to be seen as far as the unconfirmed bouts go, but one thing is sure – we will not be seeing Jack Della Maddalena anytime soon as he’s still recovering from his fractured arm operation that was followed by complications in the form of an infection prolonging his recovery. Also, another Australian fighting gem Alex Volkanovski will not be back in the octagon before the end of the year after losing to Ilia Topuria via knockout.
The UFC 305 is upon us and it appears we already have a few interesting meetings on our hands. If some of these rumors get confirmed too, it will be an event you cannot miss.