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: Mateusz Gamrot vs Dan Hooker
Round three
Hooker, cut around both eyes, laughs while getting advice from his cornermen and says: “Boys, I love this s***!”
Again Hooker defends a takedown with a guillotine, but again Gamrot twists free. A one-two just about lands for the Pole.
A pair of body hooks from Hooker now. Gamrot with more straight shots to the head, but Hooker continues to press forward. He eats a jab, and another. Counter cross by Hooker, who briefly goes southpaw.
Another single-leg attempt on Hooker, who defends so well again! He gets in some elbows for good measure, too. Now he tags Gamrot with a cross.
Gamrot’s face is so marked up now. Hooker goes hunting for a finish. Gamrot sees a takedown stuffed, and he eats a left hook before the final buzzer!
Fight of the night.
Dan Hooker def. Mateusz Gamrot via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
UFC 305 LIVE: Mateusz Gamrot vs Dan Hooker
Round two
Beautiful, drive double-leg takedown by Gamrot early in the round. He’s controlling Hooker well here.
Nice defensive work from Hooker, though, who sits up and gets a body lock before kicking Gamrot away from him.
But Gamrot chases Hooker and grabs ahold of him against the fence. Hooker stands, however, and moves into space. Now he’s on the front foot...
Front kick to the body by Hooker. Gamrot shoots for a takedown, but Hooker defends with a guillotine. Gamrot twists out of it, but Hooker sprawls.
He’s elbowing Gamrot to the body. Gamrot tries to stand with a single-leg. He does, and now he’s holding Hooker against the cage wall.
Hooker gets free again, and there’s a brief striking exchange in the final seconds of the round.
UFC 305 LIVE: Mateusz Gamrot vs Dan Hooker
Round one
Gamrot steams forward and lands a pair of hooks. Hooker absorbs them well. He’s on the end of a long right this time.
Gamrot catches a body kick and gets a single-leg takedown, driving Hooker to the fence. Hooker is already cut around his left eye.
Hooker does really well to stand, but he’s dropped to a knee, and Gamrot jumps on a guillotine! It’s not quite there for him, but he pours on strikes as Hooker tries to shell up while laying on his back.
Eventually Hooker scrambles, escapes and stands. That cut around his eye is so bloody now. OH! He has his own spell on top now, dropping Gamrot with a left hook!
Both men are landing in a frenzied exchange! Gamrot shoots for a takedown, but it feels a bit desperate...
What a round!
UFC 305 LIVE: Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs Tai Tuivasa
Round three
Tuivasa presses forward. He misses with a winging overhand right. Nice jab by Rozenstruik, and another.
Now a right uppercut by Rozenstruik as Tuivasa lands a left hook. Clean one-two by Rozenstruik.
Tuivasa’s face is bloodied now. He eats a right hook.
Rozenstruik points at the canvas as we enter the final 10 seconds of the fight, and the pair trade in a fun exchange.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik def. Tai Tuivasa via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 30-27)
What on earth is that 30-27 in Tuivasa’s favour about?
UFC 305 LIVE: Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs Tai Tuivasa
Round two
Decent one-two by Tuivasa! And another! Rozenstruik with a counter right, but he’s under pressure here, backed up to the fence.
Rozenstruik reverses the position, though, and lands a few accurate, straight shots! More fine work from Rozenstruik, who lands a lovely knee in the clinch – onto the jaw of Tuivasa.
Rozenstruik is flowing now. He’s picking his punches so accurately, to the head and body, and squeezing in more knees.
UFC 305 LIVE: Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs Tai Tuivasa
Round one
Both men stand orthodox. Low kick from Rozenstruik, and another. Tuivasa returns fire in kind.
Patience from both fighters so far. But Tuivasa misses a low kick and hurries to sort out his feet.
One-two from Rozenstruik as Tuivasa kicks low again. The Aussie misses with a high kick but lands low once more.
Uppercut to the body by Rozenstruik. More body shots from the kickboxing veteran. He wings a right hook but just misses.
Both men throw big shots in the final seconds of the round but miss the mark.
UFC 305 LIVE: Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs Tai Tuivasa
Heavyweight action next! Jairzinho Rozenstruik faces Australia’s own Tai Tuivasa.
UFC 305 LIVE: Li Jingliang vs Carlos Prates
Round two
Li just about blocks a head kick. He catches Prates on the end of a spinning back first. Prates with some decent crosses.
A wide right hook tags Prates now. Hard knee in close by Prates. Prates feints a jumping knee then lands a straight punch.
OH! Another knockdown! A swift one-two sits Li onto his backside! Li springs back up, but Prates is hunting him and landing clean shots, picking his moments...
OH, MY! PRATES WITH THE KNOCKOUT!
Li had never been knocked out before, but he folded against the fence after a perfect left hook from Li!
Li is still out. Hopefully he’s okay... Eventually he’s back up, phew.
Carlos Prates def. Li Jingling via second-round KO (punches, 4:02)
UFC 305 LIVE: Li Jingliang vs Carlos Prates
Round one
Prates stands southpaw. Li is orthodox. Hard low kicks from both men. Now some lighter ones.
Li comes forward with a right hand. Now he’s southpaw, then back to orthodox.
Prates with a left hand that drops Li to a knee!
Li is back up. Prates with the slicker punching in a brief exchange. Stiff jab. Li with some very wild swings.
Li is wobbled by a straight shot! Then dropped into the fence with the next punch!
But Li with some firm hands of his own in the final seconds of the round! Wow.
UFC 305 LIVE: Junior Tafa vs Valter Walker
Round one
Another Australian in action here, in Tafa. Walker, meanwhile, represents Brazil and is the brother of light-heavyweight Johnny Walker.
Tafa with a fine start, connecting with some heavy punches. A great right hand is the pick of the bunch. But Walker tries a high-crotch and completes a takedown, finishing with a body lock and driving Tafa to the fence.
Walker eventually moves into Tafa’s guard, occasionally throwing strikes from above.
Now Walker goes for a leg lock after a scramble... and there’s the tap! Was it a verbal tap? It’s hard to know; the pair were rolling over as the fight ended!
Valter Walker def. Junior Tafa via first-round technical submission (heel hook, 4:56)
The replay and official ruling suggest it was a verbal tap, although Tafa also appears to half-tap with his hand...
Tafa slaps Walker after the fight. What?
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments