This weekend’s UFC event took place in Australia.

UFC 305 brought fighters to the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, for a night of action — coincidentally, Americans were tuned in on Saturday night while the actual fights happened Sunday morning in Western Australia.

The event showcased a lineup rich with local talent, featuring a captivating main event where Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis made his title defense against former champion Israel Adesanya, who had the home crowd cheering for him.

So, what transpired? Let’s take a look at the results and highlights from UFC 305:

Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya result

And still!

Dricus Du Plessis successfully defended his middleweight title for the first time, submitting Israel Adesanya in the fourth round.

The match was competitive, with both fighters effectively landing punches and combinations. However, Du Plessis shifted the momentum unexpectedly.

He delivered a powerful left to Adesanya’s head, quickly followed by three strong rights. Then, he brought Adesanya down and secured a rear-naked choke, forcing Adesanya to tap out at 3:38 of the fourth round.

The first round was calculated, with both fighters having their moments. Du Plessis received a small cut on his forehead, but neither athlete appeared significantly hurt.

The intensity escalated in the second round when Du Plessis attempted a takedown, taking the fight to the mat where he maintained control, though Adesanya managed to escape and return to his feet. Du Plessis executed at least two more takedowns during this round.

In the third round, Adesanya appeared to regain momentum, landing several significant strikes and an impressive elbow. However, Du Plessis countered with powerful combinations of punches.

The fourth round mirrored the previous one, with Adesanya delivering solid punches. Nonetheless, Du Plessis found his rhythm once more, securing a decisive victory before the round ended.

After the fight, the two competitors shared a hug, putting aside any past animosity. Du Plessis expressed respect for Adesanya in his post-fight comments.

What lies ahead for the champion? If Alex Pereira has his way, he’ll be facing “Poatan.” Shortly after the match, Pereira, the former middleweight champion and current light heavyweight champion, announced via Instagram that he is “coming down to 185 one more time.”

As for Adesanya, the former champion noted uncertainty about his future after suffering his second consecutive loss. However, he expressed his determination to stay in the game, quoting Leonardo DiCaprio from “The Wolf of Wall Street,” declaring that he isn’t going anywhere — with some colorful language included.

Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg result

The local favorite didn’t have a fairy tale ending in this match.

Kai Kara-France knocked out Perth’s own Steve Erceg in the first round of their flyweight clash. Kara-France, who hails from New Zealand, landed a sudden left hook that dropped Erceg. Erceg managed to rise but soon met a devastating right from Kara-France that sealed the TKO victory at 4:04.

“This was the statement I wanted to make. I want my actions to do the talking,” Kara-France said in the ring. “Who do you think I should face next? For the title?”

Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker result

This might just be the fight of the night, emerging as a tightly contested battle on the judges’ scorecards.

Dan Hooker secured a split-decision victory against Mateusz Gamrot (with two judges scoring it 29-28 for Hooker and one judge scoring it 29-28 for Gamrot) in their lightweight matchup.

The opening round was filled with action. Hooker appeared to be in a rough spot initially, as Gamrot unleashed strong ground and pound, opening several cuts on Hooker’s face. However, Hooker turned the fight around with effective punches and seemed poised to score a knockout. As the round concluded, the second round was less explosive, with Gamrot controlling much of the grappling. The third round ramped up once more, with all three judges favoring Hooker’s performance.

Judge Removed from Event Following Controversial Scorecard

Howie Booth, the judge who submitted a 30-27 score in favor of Tai Tuivasa during his fight against Jairzinho Rozenstruik, was removed from officiating any other matches at UFC 305. He was supposed to judge the Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg fight.

This announcement was made by Jon Anik during the UFC 305 broadcast.

The decision to remove Booth was unexpected. Many observers, including fellow judges, expressed surprise and dismay at his 30-27 score for Tuivasa, while the other judges scored the fight in favor of Rozenstruik, with scores of 30-27 and 29-28.

Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik result

There will be no celebratory shoey tonight.

Jairzinho Rozenstruik showcased an impressive performance, defeating Tai Tuivasa by split decision (with scores of 30-27 and 29-28 for Rozenstruik, and a 30-27 score for Tuivasa).

After a quiet start to the fight, the heavyweight clash intensified in the second round as Tuivasa gained some momentum. Rozenstruik responded strongly, landing effective combinations and capitalizing when Tuivasa injured his foot from a kick. By the third round, Tuivasa demonstrated why he is a crowd favorite by pushing through, but he was noticeably behind in significant strikes and appeared to be in a tougher spot than Rozenstruik by the time the final bell rang.

However, one of the judges saw things differently.

Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates result

What a spectacular knockout!

Carlos Prates overwhelmed Li Jingliang, delivering a knockout for the first time in Li’s professional career.

The decisive punch had been building throughout the fight. Following a cautious beginning, Prates started landing solid shots, knocking Li down several times in the first round. He continued to dominate in the second round, driving Li against the cage before a powerful left hook at 4:02 ended the fight.

Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker result

No UFC event is complete without a bit of controversy! The last preliminary match of the night, featuring Junior Tafa and Valter Walker, ended when the referee stopped the fight at 4:56 in the first round. Tafa was clearly unhappy with this decision.

Walker had managed to secure a heel hook on Tafa, which looked painful enough to elicit a cry from Tafa. This audible reaction prompted the stoppage, as it falls under the UFC’s rules regarding verbal taps.

Tafa was immediately frustrated and confronted Walker to exchange words, even giving him a light slap.

As the referee announced Walker’s victory by technical submission, Tafa showed his displeasure by raising his middle finger.

Josh Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos result

This match felt like the closest contest of the evening, as reflected on the scorecards. Brazil’s Ricardo Ramos ended the streak of Australian victories by winning a split decision against Josh Culibao (with two judges scoring it 29-28 for Ramos and one judge scoring it 29-28 for Culibao).

Both fighters had their moments in the first round, with Culibao seemingly hurting Ramos. However, Culibao’s aggressive approach led to a grappling exchange where he found himself in a precarious position. Ramos nearly secured a chokehold, but Culibao fought through it. In the second round, Culibao regained momentum, even executing a pirouette at one point.

Ramos came back strong in the third round, causing some damage to Culibao’s face and controlling more of the action on the ground. Two judges gave him the round, which ultimately secured the victory in this featherweight matchup.

Casey O’Neill channels Raygun with celebration

Casey O’Neill seemed to take inspiration from Raygun, the viral Australian breakdancer, while celebrating her win over Luana Santos at UFC 305.

Casey O’Neill vs. Luana Santos result

The Australian contingent is performing well! Casey O’Neill achieved three straight wins for the homefighters by clinching a unanimous decision victory over Luana Santos with scores of 30-27, 30-27, and 30-26 in their women’s flyweight match. O’Neill maintained control throughout the fight, almost finishing with a submission in the final round if time had not expired.

O’Neill’s win puts her back on track after losing both her bouts in 2023 following a promising beginning with a record of 9-0.

Jack Jenkins vs. Herbert Burns result

Another stoppage occurred! Jack Jenkins defeated Herbert Burns by TKO at 0:48 of the third round.

During this featherweight bout, Jenkins was dominant when they were standing, delivering frequent and painful body punches, while Burns relied heavily on takedowns for survival.

The fight concluded with a kick that significantly hurt Burns; he fell to the ground as Jenkins continued the onslaught. After some ground-and-pound action, Jenkins allowed Burns to get back up, but Burns could not stand again, leading to the end of the match.

Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes result

We now have our first Australian winner of the night!

Tom Nolan was the favorite in his lightweight fight against Alex Reyes, and for the first time in his UFC career, Nolan went the distance. He controlled the fight well, winning by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). After a rocky start, which included taking an illegal knee in the first round, Nolan began to assert his dominance in the second round. He almost secured a submission finish in the third, but Reyes managed to survive.

Song Kenan vs. Ricky Glenn result

Song Kenan showcased his punching power with a unanimous decision win over Ricky Glenn (30-27, 30-26, 29-28). Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this welterweight fight was that it went the whole distance, and Glenn deserves credit for that.

Glenn started off well, but Song soon took control, delivering rapid combinations that left Glenn staggered multiple times, resulting in significant damage to Glenn’s face, including a noticeable hematoma on the right side of his head.

Stewart Nicoll vs. Jesus Aguilar result

Getting choked out at 6:45 a.m. must be quite an experience.

Jesus Aguilar submitted Stewart Nicoll in the first round with a precise guillotine choke, ending the bout at 2:39. However, Aguilar did miss weight by 1.5 pounds, marking a slight blemish on his victory over the Australian in this fast-paced flyweight fight.

UFC 305 begins

Stewart Nicoll and Jesus Aguilar are set in the ring at RAC Arena! The crowd should gradually fill in as these preliminary fights progress, considering it’s still not quite 7 a.m. local time.

UFC 305 start time

• Early prelims: 6:30 p.m. ET
• Prelims: 8 p.m. ET
• Event Time: 10 p.m. ET

Fight Card for UFC 305

Main Card Matches

• Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya (Middleweight Title Fight)
• Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg (Flyweight Bout)
• Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker (Lightweight Match)
• Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (Heavyweight Showdown)
• Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates (Welterweight Clash)

Preliminary Matches

• Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker (Heavyweight)
• Josh Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos (Featherweight)
• Casey O’Neill vs. Luana Santos (Women’s Flyweight)
• Jack Jenkins vs. Herbert Burns (Featherweight)

Early Preliminary Matches

• Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes (Lightweight)
• Song Kenan vs. Ricky Glenn (Welterweight)
• Stewart Nicoll vs. Jesus Aguilar (Flyweight)

Live Streaming UFC 305

You can watch the early prelims and prelims on ESPN, with a live stream available on ESPN+. The main event is a pay-per-view option that can also be streamed via ESPN+.

Cost of UFC 305

The pay-per-view for UFC 305 can be bought through ESPN+, which requires a subscription, priced at $79.99.

Betting Odds for UFC 305

The following are the odds for moneyline bets:

• Dricus Du Plessis (-105) vs. Israel Adesanya (-115)
• Kai Kara-France (+155) vs. Steve Erceg (-190)
• Mateusz Gamrot (-375) vs. Dan Hooker (+300)
• Tai Tuivasa (+195) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (-250)
• Li Jingliang (+300) vs. Carlos Prates (-400)
• Junior Tafa (-120) vs. Valter Walker (+100)
• Josh Culibao (-140) vs. Ricardo Ramos (+115)
• Casey O’Neill (+125) vs. Luana Santos (-150)
• Jack Jenkins (-800) vs. Herbert Burns (+550)
• Tom Nolan (-1200) vs. Alex Reyes (+750)
• Song Kenan (-210) vs. Ricky Glenn (+170)
• Stewart Nicoll (-210) vs. Jesus Aguilar (+175)

Tale of the Tape: Du Plessis vs. Adesanya