UFC 305 LIVE: Adesanya vs Du Plessis fight updates and results as champion submits ‘Stylebender’
Re-live the action after Israel Adesanya came up short in his bid to dethrone Dricus Du Plessis
Dricus Du Plessis submitted Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305 on Saturday, settling their feud and retaining the middleweight title in Perth.
Du Plessis was making his first defence of the belt, which he took from Sean Strickland in January, while Adesanya was bidding to become a three-time champion. The build-up saw South Africa’s Du Plessis and Nigerian-born Adesanya, who fights out of New Zealand, clash over their backgrounds, after Du Plessis claimed he was the first “real” African UFC champion: the first not only to have been born on the continent, but also to have lived and trained there throughout his career.
But by the end of the main event in Australia, the pair shared respect and kind words, after Du Plessis won a gruelling contest via rear naked choke.
The 30-year-old arguably won the first two rounds, landing the harder punches and out-grappling Adesanya at times, but the challenger’s brutal body shots looked like they were adding up across the third and fourth rounds. Adesanya’s combination punching was also catching the eye, and he was able to stand numerous times after takedowns from Du Plessis, who was frequently switching stances like his opponent.
But in round four, Du Plessis landed a series of right hands on a retreating Adesanya, before dragging the former champion to the canvas. Du Plessis rapidly secured a rear naked choke, forcing his rival to tap.
Re-live UFC 305 below:
UFC 305 LIVE: Dricus Du Plessis def. Israel Adesanya
Du Plessis offers some words of encouragement to Adesanya, who later applauds the South African’s win.
UFC 305 LIVE: Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya
Round four
Into the championship rounds. Good combination by Adesanya, then a great sprawl to deny DDP a takedown. Body kick by Adesanya, who is very much growing into this fight.
Du Plessis whiffs on a hook but lands a body kick. Adesanya is putting together nice combinations still. He attacks the body again.
Left hook lands for DDP. Adesanya stumbles to the mat then stands, but he’s eating right hands now! He’s dragged to the mat, and Dy Plessis locks in a rear naked choke so quickly!
And there’s the tap!!! AND STILL!
Dricus Du Plessis def. Israel Adesanya via fourth-round submission (rear naked choke, 3:38)
UFC 305 LIVE: Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya
Round three
Front kick to the body by Adesanya. Hard jab by the challenger. Now a mean body shot. DDP tries to fire back, but he stumbles past Adesanya.
Du Plessis just about blocks a head kick. Low kick by Adesanya, who then burrows another hook into the mid-section of the champion. Adesanya is finding his rhythm now...
Another body shot by Adesanya. Left hook by DDP. Right cross now. Adesanya jogs into space. Hard punches by DDP, if a little slow. He shoots for a single-leg, but Adesanya wriggles free.
Right hook by Adesanya. Izzy trips then stands. Both men land in the pocket. There are so many stance-switches from both guys. Their attacks are slowing down, though.
A pair of body hooks from Adesanya. An overhand left by DDP.
Adesanya’s round, I’d say.
UFC 305 LIVE: Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya
Round two
Hard low kick by Adesanya, And one to the body. Now he overshoots with a punch, and DDP grabs a body lock, dumping Adesanya to the mat!
Adesanya stands, but he’s dragged right back down. Du Plessis has him near the fence and is trying for a rear naked choke. He has Izzy flattened out...
He can’t seal the grip, though! Adesanya stands really well! He’s pressing forward now. Elbow by Adesanya. DDP looks like he wants a breather.
Uppercut by Adesanya. Great accuracy. Du Plessis then stumbles forward, almost looking like he was dropped, but he grabs ahold of his challenger in the process!
Adesanya stands against the fence. Du Plessis is firing off punches intermittently. One lands very hard, jolting back Adesanya’s head.
Adesanya tries a trip late in the round, but Du Plessis keeps his balance.
Another close round, but another one that might have just gone DDP’s way.
UFC 305 LIVE: Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya
Round one
Both men stand orthodox. Adesanya with a few stance-switches, though, back and forth. Du Plessis kicks low. He then rushes in with a left hook, but Adesanya blocks.
Now Du Plessis just about lands a one-two, but he again comes in from range. He has to be careful entering like that. Another pair of hard shots by Du Plessis, then a knee from Adesanya. Body kick by DDP.
Hard low kick by Adesanya. Du Plessis switches stances back and forth now. Adesanya blocks a high kick, then shrugs off a body lock.
Grazing cross by Adesanya. DDP appears to have a slight cut on his forehead. He blocks a head kick. Izzy looking for counter shots as Du Plessis surges forward again.
One-two by Adesanya. Low kick by DDP. Hard right cross by Du Plessis. Nice uppercut by Adesanya. He leans back to evade a head kick.
Brutal body hook by Adesanya, Really interesting first round. DDP landing a bit more, certainly of note.
UFC 305 LIVE: Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya
Big-fight feel for this one. Bruce Buffer is making the fighter introductions right now.
Adesanya is trying to stare through Du Plessis, but the challenger looks a little nervous.
A hesitant touch of gloves by Adesanya. And here, we, go!!!
UFC 305 LIVE: Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya
Next up, the main event: Israel Adesanya faces Dricus Du Plessis, aiming to regain the middleweight title.
Adesanya, a former two-time champion, will look to take the belt from Du Plessis in the latter’s first title defence, in what is a grudge match here.
After Adesanya dropped the gold to Sean Strickland in a major upset last September, Du Plessis dethroned Strickland in January to become – in his words – the first “real” African UFC champion.
The South African stressed that he meant the first not only to have been born on the continent but also to have trained there throughout his career. However, Nigerian-born Adesanya – who represents New Zealand – took umbrage with that claim. The matter arose again at Thursday’s press conference, as Adesanya burst into tears while calling out Du Plessis.
The pair will settle their grudge next.
UFC 305 LIVE: Kai Kara-France vs Steve Erceg
Round one
Erceg presses forward early. Almost nothing thrown by either man in the first minute, though.
Now both fighters land jabs. Kara-France gets through with an overhand right, too. Great left hook by Erceg, however.
Kara-France’s nose is already reddened. OH! But he drops Erceg with a HUGE overhand left!
Erceg tries to recover, but he can’t quite manage to, and he’s dropped again – this time with a right hand! It’s all over!!
Kai Kara-France def. Steve Erceg via first-round TKO (punches, 4:04)
UFC 305 LIVE: Kai Kara-France vs Steve Erceg
Onto the men’s flyweight division, where New Zealand’s Kai Kara-France fights Australia’s Steve Erceg.
Kara-France is a former interim-title challenger, while Erceg challenged for the undisputed belt in his last bout – just coming up short.
UFC 305 LIVE: Main-event judging update
This just in: Howie Booth, the judge who gave a bizarre 30-27 to Tai Tuivasa earlier tonight, has been dropped from his duty in the main event.
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