Israel Adesanya to fight again on August 18, opponent confirmed
The main event for UFC 305 in Australia has been confirmed: middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis will face Israel Adesanya for the title.
The bout, scheduled for August 18, has been highly anticipated. Adesanya, who was born in Nigeria, announced the fight on social media with a cryptic message about the sun, symbolizing the African heritage both fighters share.
The drama leading up to UFC 305 involved speculation and discussions about various matchups, including those involving Conor McGregor and Robert Whittaker. Despite this, the focus is now clear with Adesanya and du Plessis set to clash.
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Du Plessis has previously expressed his views on fighters like Adesanya, Kamaru Usman, and Francis Ngannou, who, despite being born in Africa, train and reside abroad. This adds another layer of intensity to their showdown.
The two were initially expected to fight last year at UFC 293, but du Plessis suffered a leg injury, leading to a change in plans. Sean Strickland then defeated Adesanya, but du Plessis reclaimed the title by defeating Strickland in January, setting the stage for this major fight.
Fans are eagerly awaiting this battle of Africans at UFC 305, which promises to be a thrilling pay-per-view event. The winner is likely to face Robert Whittaker later this year, provided Whittaker overcomes his own challenge against Ikram Aliskerov.