Tag: UFC 305

UFC 305 Best Bets: Betting Preview – Israel Adesanya vs Dricus Du Plessis

UFC 305 Best Bets: Betting Preview - Israel Adesanya vs Dricus Du PlessisThis is the betting preview for UFC 305. This event will broadcast live from Perth, Australia on August 18…

UFC 305 Best Bets: Betting Preview - Israel Adesanya vs Dricus Du Plessis

This is the betting preview for UFC 305. This event will broadcast live from Perth, Australia on August 18 from the RAC Arena. We are looking for solid favorites and live underdogs for this fight event.

UFC 305 Betting Preview

UFC 305 will feature Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya in the main event and top-ranked flyweights Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg slotted for the co-main. We will break down MMA betting here and also see crypto sports betting.

Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

With the middleweight title on the line, South Africa’s “Stillknocks” Dricus du Plessis will look to earn his first title defense against the former king of the division “The Last Stylebender” Israel Adesanya. This fight has a clear favourite going in but it’s a challenging fight to predict with several variables.

Israel Adesanya lost his middleweight crown to Sean Strickland, who was then defeated by the South African champion. The Nigerian-Kiwi Adesanya is the favorite going into this match but with several questions over his head. As a former kickboxer and a sharp counter-puncher, the aggressive forward movement of du Plessis should play well into Adesanya’s game at UFC 305.

However, “The Last Stylebender” seems to struggle to pull the trigger mentally in fights. He will be evasive and dodge, making his opponents miss, but then he won’t punish them. The grit and determination that we saw in his fight against Kelvin Gastelum seemed to be gone against the US-born Strickland. Despite losing most of the fight, Adesanya didn’t adjust tactics knowing he was behind on the scorecards.

“Stillknocks” Dricus du Plessis is a mixed fighter. A highly skilled grappler with a background in Judo, with lots of amateur kickboxing experience as well. On the feet, he is sometimes quite awkward, overthrowing on strikes and reacting to feints. However, his power makes up for any technical issues.

But it’s his striking in combination with his threatening grappling that makes him so formidable. Du Plessis is willing to engage in the pocket and eat a few punches, then he can clinch or go for takedowns. His resume includes some impressive wins such as Robert Whittaker, Sean Strickland, and others.

Adesanya is the favorite going in, as he should be. But the underdog Du Plessis might be the better pick only due to how many questions we have regarding Adesanya’s mentality. Adesanya could be a clear favorite bet or du Plessis is a live underdog, it is too close to pick.

Adesanya UFC 305

Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg

Two top-ranked flyweights are set to throw down in the UFC 305 co-main event with Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg. Former title contender New Zealand’s Kara-France is desperate for a win as he faces the Australian-born Steve Erceg.

“Astro Boy” Erceg is the current favorite in this fight, one fight removed from his closely contested loss against the flyweight champion. Erceg is a fast and powerful puncher with a sharp left hook which he will look to use at UFC 305.

Kai Kara-France has impressive wins over fighters such as Askar Askarov, with knockouts over Cody Garbrandt and Rogério Bontorin. With various losses dotting his career most bettors are looking at the inconsistencies in the Kiwi fighter’s game.

Kara-France is a live underdog in what is projected to be a war, but Steve Erceg is a safe pick in this matchup as a slight favorite.

Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker

Poland’s Mateusz Gamrot will face the perpetually dangerous “Hangman” Dan Hooker of New Zealand. Despite losses to Arnold Allen and Islam Makhachev, Hooker has recovered with two consecutive wins.

“Gamer” Mateusz Gamrot is an impressive grappler with a background in freestyle wrestling. He has solid wins over Rafael Fiziev, Rafael dos Anjos, and Arman Tsarukyan.

Gamrot is the betting favorite in this fight as he should be. He is a safe pick for UFC 305.

Mateusz Gamrot backup fighter for UFC 294 title fight Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira
Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik

The Australian Tai Tuivasa is a crowd pleaser as he always brings action and energy to fights. The heavy-handed striker will look to take out the veteran kickboxer Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Heavyweight strikers are notoriously challenging to pick between as anything can land, one punch can make all the difference.

However, Rozenstruik is the betting favorite, as he is coming off of wins. Tai Tuivasa is a slight underdog and might be a good pick if one is seeking a live dog.

More information on how to watch UFC 305 can be found here.

Tai Tuivasa Describes Sparring With Alex Pereira Ahead Of UFC 305 Return: ‘Got The Sh*t Punched Out Of Me’

UFC heavyweight contender Tai Tuivasa got a bit of a wake-up call when he threw down with light heavyweight kingpin Alex Pereira. Tuivasa is among the home fighters looking to make a splash in front of their fellow Australians this weekend in Perth, where the RAC Arena will play host to the UFC 305 pay-per-view. […]

Continue Reading Tai Tuivasa Describes Sparring With Alex Pereira Ahead Of UFC 305 Return: ‘Got The Sh*t Punched Out Of Me’ at MMA News.

UFC heavyweight contender Tai Tuivasa got a bit of a wake-up call when he threw down with light heavyweight kingpin Alex Pereira.

Tuivasa is among the home fighters looking to make a splash in front of their fellow Australians this weekend in Perth, where the RAC Arena will play host to the UFC 305 pay-per-view.

Having had his losing skid extended to four by Marcin Tybura this past March, “Bam Bam” is in desperate need of a bounce-back performance Down Under. To get it, the hard-hitting fan favorite will need to land first when he and Jairzinho Rozenstruik inevitably go hell for leather on fight night.

“Bam Bam” completed his fight camp over in Dubai. But before getting it started in mid-June, he got a taste of sparring Pereira, the reigning 205-pound kingpin, during the Brazilian’s Australia tour.

Suffice to say, that marked about as rude a welcome back to training as imaginable…

Tuivasa After Sparring Pereira: ‘F*ck, I Better Go Train’

During his appearance at UFC 305 media day, Tuivasa was asked about his experience sparring with Pereira a couple of months back, specifically the power that came his way from “Poatan.”

The Aussie admitted that he served as a punching bag, highlighting that the training session came just prior to his UFC 305 fight camp when he wasn’t in the best shape.

“Yeah, it was kind of my first training session back and I got the sh*t punched out of me,” Tuivasa said. “I think I left a few days after that to Dubai and was like, ‘F*ck, yeah, I better go train.’”

In terms of Pereira’s power, though, Tuivasa appeared to dismiss the suggestion that the former two-weight Glory Kickboxing champ packs the kind of dynamite in his fists that he’s not used to experiencing in the heavyweight division.

“His power was, you know — I fight at heavyweight, so we can take a punch or two,” Tuivasa continued. “It was more I hadn’t been training, went in, and I was f*cking running out of breath and getting the sh*t punched out of me. But that’s the sport we do, and it was all fun and games.”

And when it comes to avoiding power shots, practice against Pereira could come in handy given who Tuivasa is slated to share the Octagon with this weekend.

While known for his KO abilities himself, “Bam Bam’s” opponent Rozenstruik is similarly ferocious in the standup realm, recording 13 of his 14 wins by knockout and notably sleeping Allen Crowder with a single jab after just nine seconds in 2019.

Continue Reading Tai Tuivasa Describes Sparring With Alex Pereira Ahead Of UFC 305 Return: ‘Got The Sh*t Punched Out Of Me’ at MMA News.

Israel Adesanya On What He Saw When Facing Off With ‘Pufferfish’ Dricus Du Plessis Ahead Of UFC 305: ‘This Is His First Rodeo…’ 

Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes Dricus Du Plessis is in uncharted territory with their upcoming matchup. The pair of rivals will headline the UFC 305 pay-per-view event in Perth, Australia, this weekend, where the RAC Arena will play host to the conclusion of over a year of bad blood between Du Plessis […]

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya On What He Saw When Facing Off With ‘Pufferfish’ Dricus Du Plessis Ahead Of UFC 305: ‘This Is His First Rodeo…’  at MMA News.

Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes Dricus Du Plessis is in uncharted territory with their upcoming matchup.

The pair of rivals will headline the UFC 305 pay-per-view event in Perth, Australia, this weekend, where the RAC Arena will play host to the conclusion of over a year of bad blood between Du Plessis and Adesanya.

When they were originally set to square off in 2023, “The Last Stylebender” occupied the throne at 185 pounds. But when “Stillknocks” couldn’t turn around in time for UFC 293 in Sydney, Sean Strickland took his place and shockingly dethroned Adesanya.

A victory over “Tarzan” later and the South African is back with his sights set on the Nigerian-New Zealander. This time, however, circumstances are reversed, with Du Plessis now the hunted following his crowning this past January.

With that in mind, Adesanya sees a fighter trying to act the part in an unfamiliar environment…

Adesanya On Du Plessis Showdown: ‘I’ve Been Here Before’

During a recent fight week interview with ESPN MMA, Adesanya looked ahead to his attempt to make history as the first three-time middleweight champ this weekend Down Under.

“The Last Stylebender” will be making his comeback having remained away from the cage for the 11 months since his title loss to Strickland. According to Du Plessis, his challenger no longer has the hunger and already has one foot in retirement.

But while the champ claimed to see a man trying to convince himself that he still wants to do this when staring into the eyes of Adesanya at the on-sale press conference six weeks ago, the former kingpin has turned the tables with his own conclusion.

“(I saw) a pufferfish. He was just pompous, trying to like, big himself up,” Adesanya said. “This is his first rodeo. This is not my first rodeo. I’ve been here before. I’ve defended my belt multiple times. It’s his first rodeo, so he was trying to — even at the Welcome to Country ceremony yesterday, I found it really weird how I’m listening to the elders speak and he’s trying to meme-mug me. I’m like, bro, pay respect to the original people of the land.”

Adesanya will look to prove that he’s built for these kinds of high-stakes situations by making good on his promise to make Du Plessis pay for some of his controversial past remarks.

Such a feat would only add to his legacy on MMA’s biggest stage, with his past accomplishments already leaving him as the consensus second greatest of all time at 185 pounds behind Anderson Silva.

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya On What He Saw When Facing Off With ‘Pufferfish’ Dricus Du Plessis Ahead Of UFC 305: ‘This Is His First Rodeo…’  at MMA News.

Eugene Bareman Details UFC 305 Fight Week Interaction With ‘Very Nice’ Dricus Du Plessis & Co.: ‘I Can’t Speak For Israel…’

Israel Adesanya’s coach, Eugene Bareman, recently revealed that despite the fierce animosity between “The Last Stylebender” and Dricus Du Plessis, he shares a surprisingly warm camaraderie with the UFC middleweight champion and his team. Du Plessis is set to make his inaugural title defense against Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305, taking place […]

Continue Reading Eugene Bareman Details UFC 305 Fight Week Interaction With ‘Very Nice’ Dricus Du Plessis & Co.: ‘I Can’t Speak For Israel…’ at MMA News.

Israel Adesanya’s coach, Eugene Bareman, recently revealed that despite the fierce animosity between “The Last Stylebender” and Dricus Du Plessis, he shares a surprisingly warm camaraderie with the UFC middleweight champion and his team.

Du Plessis is set to make his inaugural title defense against Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305, taking place this weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

The tension between these middleweight powerhouses has been building for a while, and it almost reached a breaking point during their fiery altercation in the Octagon at UFC 290 in July 2023. Adesanya and Du Plessis were initially targeted to settle their differences at UFC 293 in September 2023, but “Stillknocks” was forced to withdraw due to an injury.

However, UFC 290 wasn’t the first time these rivals crossed paths in public. Back in 2016, while both were training at the Tiger Muay Thai facility in Thailand, Du Plessis accidentally collided with Adesanya. Unlike their recent heated exchanges, this hasty encounter was marked by mutual apologies rather than harsh words.

Beyond the competitive tension, the animosity between them intensified when “Stillknocks” challenged Adesanya’s African identity, questioning the legitimacy of the Nigerian-born fighter who now calls New Zealand home.

However, this discord doesn’t extend to City Kickboxing’s head coach, who maintains a positive relationship with Du Plessis…

Bareman Reveals His Unique Connection With Team Du Plessis, Distinct From Adesanya’s Experience

During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Bareman shared that he enjoys a cordial rapport with Du Plessis and his team despite their complex history with the former middleweight champion.

The esteemed MMA coach recounted first meeting the South African team during a 2016 training session at Tiger Muay Thai. At that time, they established a bond that has only deepened over the years, despite the ups and downs involving his own fighter.

I was actually there; I did some rounds and had a conversation with the boys,” Bareman said. “I was still fighting and sparring, so I remember sparring with the boys and having the video footage where he’s [Du Plessis] sparring Volk [Alexander Volkanovski] and stuff. I’m also in the room sparring somewhere else. Eventually, I got around and we sparred each other as well. Yeah, and I had conversations with them. It was really obvious that they were like brothers, and they were from South Africa, so I remember having some good, decent conversations with them. They’re a very nice team. I can’t speak for Israel, obviously; he’s got his own history, and that’s a little bit different from my history.”

Bareman further noted that he recently interacted with several members of Du Plessis’ team during UFC 305 fight week and found them to be exceptionally respectful.

“They’ve come up to me, made their way through the crowd, and said, ‘Hey Coach Bareman or Coach Eugene, how are you? Good to see you again. It’s been so long. Who would have thought after all these years, after us sparring in that little room, that we would all be in this position?’ I said, ‘Yeah, it’s absolutely amazing.’ I just wish them all the best. There’s some stuff going on, and it’s a good story, I guess. But from my experience back then and now, they’re good people.”

It remains highly uncertain whether Adesanya and Du Plessis will put their bad blood to rest after their fight. However, one thing is certain: the showdown is set to deliver an electrifying spectacle for fans, fueled by the deep-seated rivalry between the two fighters.

Continue Reading Eugene Bareman Details UFC 305 Fight Week Interaction With ‘Very Nice’ Dricus Du Plessis & Co.: ‘I Can’t Speak For Israel…’ at MMA News.

Daniel Cormier on Bad Blood UFC 305 Main Event: ‘Those guys hate each other’ – Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

Daniel Cormier on Bad Blood UFC 305 Main Event: 'Those guys hate each other' - Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel AdesanyaDaniel Cormier loves the bad blood between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya On Saturday night, the UFC returns…

Daniel Cormier on Bad Blood UFC 305 Main Event: 'Those guys hate each other' - Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

Daniel Cormier loves the bad blood between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya

On Saturday night, the UFC returns to Perth, Australia with a loaded pay-per-view offering punctuated by a massive middleweight title clash. Du Plessis, the promotion’s reigning 185-pound king, will put his crown on the line for the first time against a man ready to claim it for a third time, Israel Adesanya.

Israel Adesanya vs. Dricus Du Plessis

It’s been more than a year since ‘DDP’ and Adesanya engaged in a racially charged face-off at UFC 290, but it’s clear that neither one’s disdain for the other has dwindled.

Discussing their upcoming title clash, Cormier suggested that ‘The Last Stylebender’ was smart to take the last year off after earning a reputation for being one of the most active champions in UFC history.

“I honestly don’t hate that he took some time off,” Cormier said on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer. “They were riding this dude so hard. He was riding so hot, for so long.

“I remember right after he lost to Sean Strickland, I posted a picture of the amount of fights he had headlined. I thought to myself, this dude needs a break. It’s not bad that he took some time off. He was fighting a lot. Like, a lot. He was fighting a lot. I don’t know if anyone’s been as active” (h/t MMA Fighting).

Last summer, Adesanya and Du Plessis appeared to be on a collision course, but those plans were briefly derailed when Sean Strickland delivered a lights-out performance against the ‘Stylebender’ at UFC 293, taking the middleweight title with him back to Las Vegas.

In the aftermatch Adesanya opted to take some time off and reassess.

Israel Adesanya vs. Sean Strickland

But when Du Plessis snatched the title away from Strickland just four months later, Adesanya knew it was time to start preparing for a comeback.

The heated rivalry between Du Plessis, who hails from South Africa, and Adesanya can be traced back to comments ‘Stillknocks’ made last year when he claimed that he would be the UFC’s first true African world champion. The comment rubbed Adesanya, who was born in Nigeria, the wrong way, leading to their heated exchange inside the Octagon last summer.

“He don’t want to lose to that dude,” Cormier said of Adesanya. “He don’t want to lose to Dricus. I love how intense it gets between these guys. I like bad blood fights. That’s my thing. I’m not going to lie to you, I love when it’s a bad blood fight, and this one has all the sh*t that I love. Those guys hate each other.”

du plessis adesanya ufc 305 face off stare down

Daniel Cormier says it’s up to Adesanya to prove he still has what it takes to compete

Though Adesanya is, in the eyes of many, the promotion’s greatest middleweight champion of all time, Du Plessis remains convinced that the former two-time titleholder’s best days are behind him.

Whether or not that’s true is entirely up to the 35-year-old ‘Stylebender’ as he looks to make history by becoming the first-ever three-time middleweight champion at UFC 305.

“I think Dricus is almost betting on him not being [the same guy he was before],” Cormier said. “He said it on Countdown. He said, ‘He’s a tremendous fighter but his light is dimming … his light is dimming if it isn’t completely out [already].’ F*cking Dricus du Plessis said that about Izzy.”

“It’s on Izzy to show that’s not the case. It’s [up to him to say], ‘I’m still here and I’m still the man.”

Israel Adesanya reacts as Sean Strickland confirmed as number one contender after UFC 305: ‘I like it’

Israel Adesanya reacts as Sean Strickland confirmed as number one contender after UFC 305: 'I like it'Slated to headline UFC 305 this weekend in a title grudge match with arch-rival, Dricus du Plessis, former two-time…

Israel Adesanya reacts as Sean Strickland confirmed as number one contender after UFC 305: 'I like it'

Slated to headline UFC 305 this weekend in a title grudge match with arch-rival, Dricus du Plessis, former two-time middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya claims he “likes” the idea of a rematch with Sean Strickland – who was confirmed as the number one contender to the throne by Dana White overnight.

Adesanya, a former two-time undisputed middleweight gold holder, has been out of action since he took on the outspoken, Strickland back in September of last year ‘Downunder’ – losing his title in a stunning unanimous decision loss to the massive underdog.

Israel Adesanya likes the idea of facing Sean Strickland after UFC 305

And taking on promotional-perfect star, du Plessis this weekend in Australia, former two-time champion, Adesanya appears most definitely receptive to news that the victor of the UFC 305 headliner will face off with Strickland, in a bid to avenge just his second defeat at the 185lbs limit.

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“Oh, really?” Israel Adesanya asked The Mac Life when he learned of Sean Strickland’s status as number one contender after UFC 305. “Ok, cool. That’s nice, I didn’t think the UFC would announce it [who the number one contender is] like that but I thought maybe (Robert) Whittaker versus Khamzat (Chimaev).”

“I have to think about it – I like it,” Israel Adesanya claimed. “I don’t mind it, I like it. Cool.”

Israel Adesanya Fights
Image via: Getty

Slated to land himself a rematch against either Adesanya or du Plessis ahead of UFC 305, Strickland dropped the undisputed middleweight crown against the Pretoria native back in January of this year in Canada, in a controversial split decision loss – which he has been vocal about since.

Israel Adesanya Next Fight

Returning to winning ways at UFC 302 back in May, Strickland turned in an impressive decision win over former title challenger, Paulo Costa in Newark, New Jersey.