Israel Adesanya to Fight Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305; 1st Since Sean Strickland Loss
Joseph Zucker@@JosephZucker
Featured Columnist IVJune 17, 2024
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya announced Monday he'll fight current champ Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 on Aug. 17.
Adesanya dropped the gold after losing a unanimous decision to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023. Strickland's first title defense ended in a split-decision defeat to Du Plessis this January at UFC 297.
UFC president Dana White inadvertently spilled the beans on some of the UFC 305 card. In a video posted to social media last Friday, White stood in the promotion's "war room." Eagle-eyed fans spotted Adesanya listed in the main event slot for August's show running out of Perth, Australia.
XETINFO MMA @xetinfommaDana White might have accidentally leaked the potential <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFC305?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UFC305</a> Perth Card while announcing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFC303?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UFC303</a> Update.<br><br>Israel Adesanya in the main event. <br>Song Yadong co main.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UFC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MMA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MMA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MMATwitter?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MMATwitter</a> <a href="https://t.co/jyb26m1P6G">pic.twitter.com/jyb26m1P6G</a>
While Du Plessis' name wasn't visible, one obvious assumption to draw based on the video was that Adesanya would get an opportunity to win back the middleweight championship.
Du Plessis, for his part, told ESPN's Leonard Solms in March in 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."
UFC 305 will at least complete half of the equation, and their encounter will be a long time coming. Du Plessis' victory over Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 in July 2023 positioned him for a shot at Adesanya, but a foot injury forced him to bow out of UFC 293 and opened the door for Strickland.
Some fans might bristle at the idea that Adesanya, who hasn't fought since his upset to 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.