UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis will head into his first UFC title defense as a slight underdog against former champ Israel Adesanya when they fight in the main event of UFC 305 on Aug. 17. Du Plessis comes in at +120 for the fight, while Adesanya is the -135 favorite in his first fight since losing the belt to Sean Strickland in September 2023.
Adesanya vs. Du Plessis analysis
Du Plessis (21-2) has not lost in the UFC and has finished all but two of his seven UFC bouts inside the distance. He won the UFC 185-pound title with a split-decision victory over Strickland in January after opening as a +130 underdog and closing as a slight favorite in UFC odds.
Du Plessis has opened as the underdog in his last three UFC fights, all of which he went on to win. His power-punching style has been effective in the early rounds but also seems to sway judges in close fights, especially against volume strikers who may be landing more frequently but with less visual effect.
Adesanya (24-3) has gone to a decision in six of his last nine fights, the last of which cost him the middleweight title after a lackluster effort against Strickland at UFC 293 in Sydney. Here again, he’ll be fighting in front of a friendly Australian crowd, this time at RAC Arena in Perth.
In Adesanya’s first run as middleweight champ, he racked up five consecutive title defenses before suffering a TKO loss to longtime rival and current UFC light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira. Adesanya regained the belt after knocking out Pereira in the rematch, only to lose it to Strickland in his next bout.
Adesanya has built his reputation as a masterful kickboxer with a solid all-around game and much improved defensive wrestling. In terms of technical striking ability, he likely has the advantage against Du Plessis, who’s more of a slugger relying on aggression and power.
The challenge for Adesanya may be making it through the early rounds, in which Du Plessis tends to be most dangerous. Adesanya was rocked early on in his loss to Strickland and never seemed to fully recover. Du Plessis has demonstrated himself to be a more powerful puncher than Strickland, so getting to Adesanya early could be his best chance in the fight.
UFC 305 odds and full fight card
How to watch UFC 305
- Date: Aug. 17
- Venue: RAC Arena, Perth, Australia
- Broadcast: ESPN+ pay-per-view
