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UFC 305 live updates: Results, highlights, analysis as Israel Adesanya tries to reclaim title against Dricus du Plessis

Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya will meet in a thrilling battle for the UFC middleweight title on Saturday (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+ PPV) at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia. Du Plessis, the newly crowned champion, still faces skepticism despite his undefeated record in the UFC.

Many see Adesanya, the former dominant force in the division, as the rightful top dog. For Adesanya, this fight is about reclaiming his title and proving that his loss to Sean Strickland was a fluke. Du Plessis, on the other hand, is looking to cement his legitimacy as champion by defeating Adesanya and silencing the doubters once and for all.

The fight is almost a pick'em at BetMGM, with du Plessis entering as a slim favorite at -105 to retain the 185-pound belt. Adesanya is at -115 to become a three-time middleweight champion.

Follow all the action in Perth with our live tracker below.

Live91 updates

  • Next: Dricus du Plessis (-105) against Israel Adesanya (-115)

    Who they are: Du Plessis is the newly crowned UFC middleweight champion, but to many people he doesn't really seem to be the best middleweight in the world yet. Adesanya was the last champion in the division to demonstrate sustained dominance, and he's one of the few enduring stars the UFC has between lightweight and heavyweight.

    Why it is important: If the gold around du Plessis' waist isn't enough, there's also the battle for public perception. Du Plessis needs this win to prove he's not a passing champion who was able to take advantage of a brief chaotic moment in the division. Adesanya needs it to prove his title loss to Sean Strickland was a fluke and he's still the best 185-pound fighter. If he can win the belt back for a third time, Adesanya is truly one of the greats. If du Plessis can beat him, people have to start taking him seriously as a champion.

  • RESULT: Kai Kara-France defeats Steve Erceg by TKO (punches) at 4:04 of R1

  • Kara-France knocks out Erceg!!

    It was a huge left hook that hit home and sent Erceg to the ground. He jumped back up but couldn't get to his feet and Kai finished him off. What an end!

  • Next: Kai Kara-France (+210) vs. Steve Erceg (-275) in the flyweight division

    Who they are: Kara-France looked like a potential flyweight champion until he lost his shot at the interim title and then fell even further with a points loss last summer. Erceg is the latest Australian fighter that people are excited about. He was rushed into a title fight due to time and convenience, but still performed much better than expected and his standing did not drop much as a result.

    Why it is important: Neither man is far from getting back into a fight with a belt on the line, so throwing them into this co-main event fight feels like a test to see which of them has the better chance of making it into this fight — and who might be on the downside for now.

  • RESULT: Dan Hooker defeated Mateusz Gamrot by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

  • Round 3 ends

    Back to the judges' scorecards after Hooker and Gamrot waged a brutal war. What a fight!

  • Round 2 ends

    In another back-and-forth round, Gamrot is injured several times as Hooker takes control of the fight.

  • Hooker's strong left-winger shakes Gamrot to the core

Saturday, August 17, 2024 – RAC Arena in Perth, Australia

Main Card (Start Time 10:00 PM ET, ESPN+ PPV)

Preliminary round (start time 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

Early Prelims (Start Time 6:30pm ET, ESPN+)

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