Former UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, was dancing for the UFC 305 “Welcome to Country” ceremony on Tuesday the same way the Kali statue was dancing for Prince Koura in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad.
Ray Harryhausen would be proud.
Adesanya challenges Dricus Du Plessis for the 185-pound strap atop the UFC 305 pay-per-view (PPV) event on Sat. night (Aug. 17) from inside RAC Center in Perth, Western Australia. Local heroes Steve Erceg and Tai Tuivasa also took part in today’s festivities.
“Stillknocks” can be seen eyeballing “The Last Stylebender” from the sidelines.
“We call upon that spirit to keep everyone safe”#UFC305 athletes participate in a traditional Welcome to Country ceremony to kick off fight week! pic.twitter.com/qHeCHgi5zF
— UFC (@ufc) August 13, 2024
What is the “Welcome to Country” ceremony?
“A Welcome to Country is different to an Acknowledgement of Country,” University of New South Wales (UNSW) explained on its official website. “A Welcome to Country is a ceremony performed by a local Aboriginal person of significance (usually an Elder) to acknowledge and give consent to events taking place on their traditional lands. It is also a sign of respect and protocol which dates back to traditional times prior to colonisation. This distinctive difference has important cultural significance for Aboriginal peoples and should be observed carefully.”
UFC was last in Perth for UFC 284 back in early 2023.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 305 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 305: “Du Plessis vs. Adesanya” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. For the updated and finalized UFC 305 fight card and PPV lineup click here.