Tag: UFC 305

Li Jingliang Reveals Changes He’s Made During 2-Year Layoff Ahead Of UFC 305 Return: ‘You Guys Will See A Different Leech!’

Returning UFC welterweight contender Li Jingliang has been fine-tuning his mindset and approach to fighting during an extended period on the sidelines. Following a submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev in late 2021, Jingliang rose to prominence in 2022, somewhat down to his knockout of Muslim Salikhov but also due to his likable personality. And fanfare […]

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Returning UFC welterweight contender Li Jingliang has been fine-tuning his mindset and approach to fighting during an extended period on the sidelines.

Following a submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev in late 2021, Jingliang rose to prominence in 2022, somewhat down to his knockout of Muslim Salikhov but also due to his likable personality.

And fanfare surrounding “The Leech” only grew when he accepted a clash with a Daniel Rodriguez who weighed in 10 pounds heavier on just one day’s notice at UFC 279. Jingliang ultimately fell short on the scorecards in a decision that was widely debated.

Unfortunately for the Chinese fighter, he’s been unable to bounce back from that controversial setback. Although he was scheduled for the opportunity to at UFC 287 in April 2023, a back injury ruled him out of that event and condemned him to the recovery table.

Now almost exactly two years on from his last fight, the 36-year-old is back. He’ll open this weekend’s UFC 305 main card in Perth, Australia, against the high-flying Carlos Prates.

And according to Jingliang, the Brazilian will be sharing the cage with a new and improved “Leech”…

Jingliang Has Message For UFC Peers After Layoff Learning Experience: ‘We All Need To Make A Change’

During a recent fight week interview for UFC.com, Jingliang reflected on the lengthy period he’s spent out of competition due to injury.

Despite the frustrating stint, “The Leech” insisted he remained committed to improving himself as a fighter. And having altered a number of areas, he expects to be better than ever when the cage door closes behind him Down Under.

“The injuries bothered me a lot. But after I recovered from the injury, I was fully committed to all the training sessions; every single minute, I was fully committed,” Jingliang said. “People like me because my never give up motto and spirit. … I have to thank UFC again because I’ve learned a lot here. … Even now, I still have my dream to become champion, so I have to master my destiny. For me, my fists will decide my destiny.

“After the two-year layoff, I changed a lot. My training style, my daily behavior, my psychology; everything has changed, also my mindset,” Jingliang continued. “So I want to say to all the other athletes that we all need to make a change sometimes. We can not be stuck at the same point for a long time. So for me, after this long layback, I know what I want. I have changed. You guys will see a different ‘Leech.’”

Jingliang will now look to reap the rewards from those changes when he feels the Octagon floor beneath his feet for the first time in 23 months.

And should the Chinese fan favorite announced his comeback in style by blemishing the currently perfect UFC record of the highly touted Prates, “The Leech” would be right back in the mix at 170 pounds.

Continue Reading Li Jingliang Reveals Changes He’s Made During 2-Year Layoff Ahead Of UFC 305 Return: ‘You Guys Will See A Different Leech!’ at MMA News.

UFC Full Fight: Relive Dan Hooker’s Bloody Brawl With Jalin Turner Ahead Of UFC 305 Return

UFC 305 star Dan Hooker had to fight through significant adversity to have his hand raised in memorable fashion when he last entered the Octagon. The lightweight fan favorite will return on the main card of this weekend’s pay-per-view event at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, where he’s tasked with getting the better of Mateusz Gamrot […]

Continue Reading UFC Full Fight: Relive Dan Hooker’s Bloody Brawl With Jalin Turner Ahead Of UFC 305 Return at MMA News.

UFC 305 star Dan Hooker had to fight through significant adversity to have his hand raised in memorable fashion when he last entered the Octagon.

The lightweight fan favorite will return on the main card of this weekend’s pay-per-view event at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, where he’s tasked with getting the better of Mateusz Gamrot if he’s to climb back toward the title picture at 155 pounds.

Hooker has won two straight since a difficult run of form, most recently showing that his time toward the top is far from over by stalling the ambitions of Jalin Turner. The pair put on one of the fights of the night at UFC 290 last July, both wearing the damage from a three-round battle.

“The Tarantula” got the better of the early goings, notably connecting with a brutal head kick that Hooker somehow ate and maintained consciousness. “The Hangman,” though, was able to rally in rounds two and three to fall on the right side of a split decision — a feat made only more impressive by the fact Hooker had competed with a badly broken arm for the majority of the fight.

Ahead of Saturday’s event, the promotion has released the full Hooker vs. Turner fight from UFC 290 on its official YouTube channel.

Hooker will look to achieve a similar result come fight night Down Under, but likely without the grueling three-round nature of the contest and the severely broken arm he emerged from Las Vegas with over a year ago.

The New Zealander has, however, vowed to give Gamrot the “most exciting” fight of his career. And with “Gamer” also acknowledging the need to entertain if he’s to fight for gold soon, perhaps the Perth fans will be in for a barnburner when these two lightweights share the cage.

Continue Reading UFC Full Fight: Relive Dan Hooker’s Bloody Brawl With Jalin Turner Ahead Of UFC 305 Return at MMA News.

Daniel Cormier Wasn’t Interested In Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya Before ‘Uncomfortable’ Bad Blood

It took a some animosity for ex-UFC champion Daniel Cormier to see this weekend’s main event as a matchup worth getting excited for. Middleweight kingpin Dricus Du Plessis will put his title on the line for the first time in the headliner of the UFC 305 pay-per-view, where he’s tasked with stalling the three-time champ […]

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Wasn’t Interested In Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya Before ‘Uncomfortable’ Bad Blood at MMA News.

It took a some animosity for ex-UFC champion Daniel Cormier to see this weekend’s main event as a matchup worth getting excited for.

Middleweight kingpin Dricus Du Plessis will put his title on the line for the first time in the headliner of the UFC 305 pay-per-view, where he’s tasked with stalling the three-time champ ambitions of Israel Adesanya.

The pair will enter the cage inside the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, in the culmination of a feud sparked well over a year ago as a result of some controversial remarks from the then-future titleholder.

In one of his early post-fight interviews in the UFC, “Stillknocks” branded himself the promotion’s “real African” fighter, referring to his continued stay in the continent. He reiterated that sentiment in regard to his pursuit of gold, vowing to become the first champion who was born, resides, and trains in Africa.

The comments resulted in some tense exchanges with Adesanya, who recently berated his opponent’s “colonialist mindset” at the start of UFC 305 fight week.

With that in mind, the sensitive nature of their bad blood shows no sign of waning as fight night approaches, and one former champ doesn’t see that as a bad thing…

Cormier: ‘I Want To See The Fight’ Because Of Du Plessis & Adesanya’s Feud

During a recent episode of his Good Guy / Bad Guy show alongside Chael Sonnen on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Cormier looked ahead to this weekend’s PPV headliner Down Under.

In terms of the animosity between the pair ever since Adesanya took issue with Du Plessis’ words, Cormier suggested that in spite of the “uncomfortable” nature of the bad blood, it’s still taken his interest in the matchup from zero to 100.

“You don’t wanna say the wrong thing because it’s so easy to offend people on either side of the coin,” Cormier said. “When he (Du Plessis) said it, I thought he would kind of walk it back because of Usman and because of Ngannou and because of Izzy. He’s not walking it back. He’s standing on his idea that he’s the only true African champion. I don’t know that I’d agree…but for me, more importantly than all of that, I want to see the fight.

“If you would have told me, Chael, before all of this…all of this stuff that makes it so hot, that makes it so uncomfortable, I can seriously say to you I wasn’t very interested in those two guys fighting,” Cormier continued. “Now though, Chael, I am so interested in these two fighting because there’s something there. I love great fighters fighting each other, but when there’s a little bit extra, that is what draws me in as a fan. … This one this weekend has two of the best middleweights in the world, but they also have that bad blood, and it makes it fun.”

Du Plessis and Adesanya will finally have the chance to settle their grudge within the steel surroundings of the cage this weekend, 13 months on from their heated faceoff during International Fight Week.

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Wasn’t Interested In Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya Before ‘Uncomfortable’ Bad Blood at MMA News.

Israel Adesanya Predicts Dricus Du Plessis Will ‘Shoot Straight Away’ At UFC 305: ‘I Doubt He’ll Want To Strike With Me’

Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya expects for his wrestling defense to be required come fight night against Dricus Du Plessis. Adesanya will headline this weekend’s UFC 305 pay-per-view event in competition for Du Plessis’ title. The South African captured the crown by dethroning Sean Strickland, who secured his brief reign by upsetting “The […]

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya Predicts Dricus Du Plessis Will ‘Shoot Straight Away’ At UFC 305: ‘I Doubt He’ll Want To Strike With Me’ at MMA News.

Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya expects for his wrestling defense to be required come fight night against Dricus Du Plessis.

Adesanya will headline this weekend’s UFC 305 pay-per-view event in competition for Du Plessis’ title. The South African captured the crown by dethroning Sean Strickland, who secured his brief reign by upsetting “The Last Stylebender” close to a year ago.

The Nigerian-New Zealander has not competed since, instead taking time to rest and recuperate following a period of intense activity after his undisputed title win back in 2019.

The RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, will be the stage for his mixed martial arts comeback, and Du Plessis is the man tasked with preventing a historic three-time feat at 185 pounds for Adesanya.

And while he used his unorthodox but effective striking style to get the better of Robert Whittaker and Strickland in the past, Adesanya expects his South African rival to resort to his grappling when stood across from his kickboxing talents…

Adesanya Ready To Prove Himself In The Grappling Realm Again

During an interview with Stake, Adesanya looked ahead to his first appearance inside the Octagon in 11 months and assessed the matchup that awaits him.

While those backing the champ have seemingly pointed to his forward-pressure style on the feet, which appeared to contribute to Adesanya’s undoing against Strickland, “The Last Stylebender” is predicting a quick grappling entry from Du Plessis.

“I think he’s going to shoot straight away. I doubt he’ll want to strike with me for too long,” Adesanya said. “This is something that people always say, but I’ve shown before that I can wrestle too. It might not be how everyone else wrestles, but I can wrestle too. That’s why I ended up becoming world champion.”

Should that be the case, Adesanya will look to prove those who doubt his grappling arsenal wrong by bringing the fight back to his favored environment, where he wants to deliver on the emphatic performance that both he and teammates like Alexander Volkanovski have predicted for him.

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya Predicts Dricus Du Plessis Will ‘Shoot Straight Away’ At UFC 305: ‘I Doubt He’ll Want To Strike With Me’ at MMA News.

UFC Full Fight: Relive Israel Adesanya’s Title-Winning KO Of Alex Pereira Ahead Of UFC 305 Return

UFC 305 headliner Israel Adesanya made an emphatic return to the middleweight throne at the expense of a longtime rival in April 2023. The former two-time champion will return in the main event of this weekend’s pay-per-view card at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, where he’s tasked with regaining the belt once again in a grudge […]

Continue Reading UFC Full Fight: Relive Israel Adesanya’s Title-Winning KO Of Alex Pereira Ahead Of UFC 305 Return at MMA News.

UFC 305 headliner Israel Adesanya made an emphatic return to the middleweight throne at the expense of a longtime rival in April 2023.

The former two-time champion will return in the main event of this weekend’s pay-per-view card at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, where he’s tasked with regaining the belt once again in a grudge match against Dricus Du Plessis.

Adesanya previously lost and won back the 185-pound strap in a two-fight series with his former kickboxing rival Alex Pereira. After losing two contests to him in the striking-only sport, “The Last Stylebender” fell to 0-3 when “Poatan” rallied to score a fifth-round knockout at the Madison Square Garden-held UFC 281.

But the Nigerian-New Zealander broke his Pereira curse five months later in their second MMA dance at UFC 287 in Miami, brutally knocking the Brazilian out in round two to deliver a highlight for the ages and MMA News’ KO of the Year award for 2023.

Ahead of Saturday’s event, the promotion has released the full Adesanya vs. Pereira rematch fight from UFC 287 on its official YouTube channel.

Adesanya will look to deliver a similar statement-making performance when making his comeback this weekend.

Having had his second reign brought to a shock end at the hands of Sean Strickland last September, “The Last Stylebender” has the chance to show that he’s far from done by adding the first blemish to the currently perfect UFC record of champ Du Plessis.

Continue Reading UFC Full Fight: Relive Israel Adesanya’s Title-Winning KO Of Alex Pereira Ahead Of UFC 305 Return at MMA News.

Robert Whittaker offers Dricus du Plessis, Israel Adesanya UFC 305 fight prediction

Robert Whittaker offers Dricus du Plessis, Israel Adesanya UFC 305 fight predictionSharing the Octagon with both ahead of this weekend’s middleweight title fight, former champion, Robert Whittaker has claimed Saturday’s…

Robert Whittaker offers Dricus du Plessis, Israel Adesanya UFC 305 fight prediction

Sharing the Octagon with both ahead of this weekend’s middleweight title fight, former champion, Robert Whittaker has claimed Saturday’s clash between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya is very much a “50-50” pairing between the duo.

Whittaker, the current number three ranked middleweight challenger and a former undisputed titleholder, has been sidelined since he took main event honors at UFC Saudi Arabia back in June, stopping Ikram Aliskerov with a dominant opening round knockout win.

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And already slated to make his return in a title-eliminator clash, Whittaker is set to draw the unbeaten, Khamzat Chimaev in a five round co-main event at UFC 308 in October, returning to Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Robert Whittaker offers prediction for UFC 305 title fight

Sharing his thoughts on this weekend’s title fight showdown between South African star, du Plessis and two-fight rival, Adesanya – Whittaker claimed the pairing is likely going to go down to the proverbial wire.

Dricus du Plessis mocks Israel Adesanya over kiss me jibe ahead of UFC 305 I'm not a dog

“If I had to make a pick, I’d say that there’s a 50% chance, this is my confidence here,” Robert Whittaker said on the MMArcade podcast. “I’m sitting on the fence, but I mean it. There’s a 50-50 odds. That’s how much I think either one could sway. I think there’s a 50% chance that Izzy (Israel Adesanya) kind of keeps him at the end of his jab, utilizes that spacing, doesn’t get his back put against the fence. Defends some takedowns but ultimately wins by decision.”

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“I also think there’s a 50% chance Dricus (du Plessis) does what he did to (Sean) Stirkcland, pushes into that space, takes him down, wears him out, turns it into a dog fight,” Robert Whittaker explained. “Doesn’t get a finish, but drags it out to the point where he’s still going to remain the champion.”