AND STILL!!!

** HIGHLIGHTS! Watch Dricus Du Plessis Submit Israel Adesanya At UFC 305!!! **

The time has finally arrived …

UFC 305’s incredible pay-per-view (PPV) main event between Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya is about to pop off from inside RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, after a delicious 12-month soak.

The 185-pound clash — scheduled for five, five-minute rounds — has been brewing for years, ignited by Du Plessis’ controversial “true African champion” comments. Adesanya — a Nigerian-born New Zealander — took offense to the statement, fueling a rivalry that has captivated the mixed martial arts (MMA) world.

It even brought “The Last StyleBender” to tears.

With Du Plessis’ meteoric rise and Adesanya’s self-imposed hiatus after dropping the title to Sean Strickland (watch highlights), fight fans have all the ingredients for an epic showdown. Can Du Plessis silence the doubters and retain gold? Or, will Adesanya reclaim his throne and prove he’s still the Middleweight division’s inimitable roost-ruler?

UFC’s “Grudge Match of the Year” is officially underway!

Live updates will begin to flow below the moment the two fighters make their way to the Octagon …

Adesanya, the challenger (that feels weird to type), was the first to make the walk, which was rather subdued (for him):

Then, it was time for “Stillknocks” to make the walk to, unsurprisingly, a chorus of boos from the pro-Adesanya crowd:

Round one:

Dricus was all smiles as ring announcer Bruce Buffer did he dynamic pre-fight introductions, while Adesanya was stone-faced. The referee in charge of the action was the always-reliable, Marc Goddard. And we were off and punching …

Adesanya came out switching stances and pawing with his lead hand, with Dricus clearly targeting the lower legs of Adesanya early. Adesanya was leading the dance, feinting and looking to keep Dricus on his backfoot and guessing. Low kick from Adesanya as the fighters reached the mid-point of the opening frame. Dricus with a kick to the body, then barreled in with a dirty combination / takedown attempt that Adesanya was able to turn away like a matador. Dricus chasing with a combination, landing with a right hook. Dricus with a high kick that was partially blocked, with Adesanya countering with a nice shot. Bif right hand from Dricus, then another, but Adesanya ducked under the second salvo. Nice uppercut from Adesanya, then a stiff jab as Dricus continues to spam a powerful left high kick. Close round, but perhaps leaning toward Adesanya?

Round two:

Nice front kick from Adesanya early, with Dricus countering with a powerful combination upstairs. Nice level change from Dricus on a straight right hand, using it to pick up Adesanya and dump him to the canvas. Adesanya posted up like he was going to escape, but Dricus just mushed him into the bottom of the cage and worked to get to his back. Dricus worked hard to try and secure a finish, but just like that, Adesanya was back on his feet, ripping combinations. Dricus didn’t appear to like it, but he fired back just the same — fight was starting to really heat up. Dricus dove for a takedown and was able to snag him by the foot, literally, and pull him back in. The pair wrestled along the cage, with Dricus leaning on him and trying to get him back to the floor. Dricus used a ton of energy trying to complete the takedown, which was up to three at the time of this writing, but Adesanya continued to fight the hands and make him work. Trip from Adesanya toward the end of the round, with Dricus wrapped around his leg as the buzzer blared. Better round for Dricus, but Adesanya had his moments.

Round three:

Front kick from Adesanya kicks off the third frame. Dricus a bit more shelled up, with Adesanya firing hard left through his defense. High kick from Adesanya is blocked, but the body shot moments earlier appeared to have an impact. High kick from Dricus, who wasn’t doing much early. Adesanya ripped body shots, with Dricus scoring with a hard counter right upstairs. Nasty elbow from Adesanya, then a left hand from Dricus, who followed it up with a straight right hand. Overhand right, then a sloppy takedown attempt from Dricus that went nowhere. Low kick from Dricus, uppercut from Adesanya — really good fight! Clubbing right hook from Adesanya, then an uppercut, but Dricus just keeps lunging with hard shots to stay in it. Another fun round — 2-1 Adesanya (unofficially).

Round four:

Heading into the championship rounds, Adesanya appeared to be the fresher fighter. Beautiful combination from Adesanya to start the round, with Dricus ducking under it all and going for a takedown to stop the onslaught. Adesanya continued to rip the body — kicks, punches … just having his way below the neck. Dricus appears fatigued, but did land a nice counter shot off an uppercut. Dricus finally started getting into gear midway through the round, putting Adesanya on his backfoot and landing a nice left hook along the fence. Dricus started chasing him with punches — three straight — while Adesanya pointed to the floor and dared him to trade. Dricus obliged, chasing him with ugly shots until Adesanya tripped to the floor. Dricus was all over him once it hit the ground, taking his back quickly, sinking in his forearm and forcing a tap.

Final result: Dricus Du Plessis def. Israel Adesanya via submission (rear-naked choke) in round four — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!

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