Martial Arts News

Things appeared to be going fairly well for Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, but momentum shifted quickly in the championship rounds.

Advertisement

About halfway through the fourth frame, Dricus Du Plessis clipped the Nigerian-born Kiwi with a series of right hands before powering him to the canvas. Shortly thereafter, the reigning champion elicited a tapout from Adesanya with a rear-naked choke at the 3:36 mark of the period.

“For me, I have to watch it again because I don’t think I was rocked. I think I slipped and I was like, ‘What the f—k was that?’ And then he was trying to catch me as I was exiting,” Adesanya said at the UFC 305 post-fight press conference. “I can’t remember how he took me down because everything in me is always a blur…

“I tried to fight the top hand, and I don’t know what mistake I made because I tried to turn into him, but then he got on my back because I was using the fence, maybe? He switched to a Gable grip, and then I wasn’t able to s…

Dricus Du Plessis is well aware of Alex Pereira’s callout, but he isn’t so certain it’s the best idea for the Brazilian to challenge him at 185 pounds.

Advertisement

After Du Plessis defended his middleweight title with a fourth-round submission of Israel Adesanya in the UFC 305 headliner on Saturday night, “Poatan” hinted at a return to the middleweight division. Pereira initially claimed 185-pound gold with a stoppage of Adesanya in his fourth Octagon appearance at UFC 281. He moved to light heavyweight after falling to “The Last Stylebender” in their rematch, and the Brazilian has since become the promotion’s champion in his new weight class, authoring two successful title defenses thus far in 2024.

“I honestly don’t think Alex Pereira should drop down to 185. If he wants to, great, perfect. But then we’re going to hear the excuses,” Du Plessis said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “I saw Izzy stiff that man in the first round. I felt Izzy’s punchin…

Dricus Du Plessis has multiple eyes on his him after his first successful middleweight title defense.

Advertisement

Du Plessis and Adesanya went toe-to-toe in an entertaining championship bout at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, on Saturday night. While Du Plessis had some early success, Adesanya started finding momentum as the fight progressed, visibly edging past the champ on the feet. However, “Stillknocks” rocked Adesanya with a blistering flurry in the fourth round and almost immediately sunk in a rear-naked choke to earn the finish.

Sean Strickland, who lost his title to Du Plessis via split decision at UFC 297 this past January, has long been adamant on fighting only for the title next. Strickland called for a rematch against Du Plessis in the immediate aftermath of the UFC 305 main event.

“Time for war Dutch man,” Strickland wrote.

Time for war Dutch man......

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) August 18, 2024

When a…

Valter Walker weighed in on his chaotic win over Junior Tafa at UFC 305 on Saturday.

Advertisement

Walker took on Tafa in preliminary featherweight matchup at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. Walker controlled Tafa on the ground throughout the first round before locking in a heel hook that incited a scream from the New Zealander. While Walker did not tap, referee Steve Perceval called a stop to the contest at 4:52 of the opening frame.

Tafa seemed to only briefly protest the stoppage before squaring up to Walker and slapping his unsuspecting opponent while surrounded by security. Weighing in on the stoppage, Walker says he would have snapped Tafa’s foot if the referee hadn’t intervened.

“If referee not stop, I broke his foot,” Walker said during a post-fight media scrum. “I take his foot to home with me. My coach say, broke and I go to broke. I don’t go for tap, I go for him screaming.”

Walker said Tafa was not a man for cheap shotting him when he couldn’t l…

CASEY O'NEILL'S CELEBRATION 😅 #UFC305 pic.twitter.com/1OXarBr2VT

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 18, 2024

Casey O'Neill celebrated her UFC 305 win with a mimicry of viral Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn’s Olympic performance.

Advertisement

O’Neill bounced back from a two-fight slump with an emphatic unanimous decision victory over Luana Santos at the RAC Arena on Saturday night in Perth, Australia. “King” celebrated her victory with a mockery of Gunn’s Olympic breakdance performance, which has recently been in headlines.

Speaking of her celebration, O’Neill considers her performance better than the Australian academic-breakdancer known as “Raygun,” who has been dealing with serious online hate for her bizarre show at the Paris 2024 Olympics. O’Neill even joked about taking a hiatus from MMA for a detour into breakdance to represent Australia in the 2028 Olympics.

“I give that a 10. I think I did better than she did in the Oly…

Dan Hooker and Mateusz Gamrot went back-and-forth for three rounds at UFC 305.

While it was Hooker who emerged with a split-decision triumph, both lightweights went home with an additional $50,000 after the bout received “Fight of the Night” honors. Hooker blended effective striking with relatively stout takedown defense to earn the nod from two of the three cageside judges at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, on Saturday night.

Elsewhere, Kai Kara-France garnered a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check for a statement-making victory against Steve Erceg in the flyweight co-main event. “Don’t Blink” initially floored his foe with a left hook before pressuring Erceg against the cage, where he dropped “Astro Boy” again — this time with a right cross. Follow-up punches brought an end to the contest at the 4:04 mark of the opening stanza as Kara-France ended a two-bout skid.

Finally, Carlos Prates received the card’s other $50,000 “Performance of the Night” awa…

No one responds to adversity any better the Dricus Du Plessis. In fact, the man seems to feed off of it.

The 30-year-old South African retained his undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight title in scintillating fashion and turned away Israel Adesanya with a rear-naked choke in the fourth round of their emotionally charged UFC 305 headliner on Saturday at RAC Arena in Perth Australia. Adesanya (24-4, 13-4 UFC), who had never before been submitted, raised the white flag of surrender 3:36 into Round 4.

Advertisement

Du Plessis (22-2, 8-0 UFC) waded through considerable difficulty before he arrived at the finish line. Adesanya zeroed in on his body with hooks from both hands and well-timed kicks, attacked his legs when the mood arose and pieced together stirring combinations to the head. Du Plessis refused to go away. The Team CIT rep executed multiple takedowns—he threatened Adesanya’s neck in the first round in a harbinger of what was in store—and co…

Sherdog's live UFC 305 coverage will begin Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET.UFC 305: Du Plessis vs. Adesanya Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!

Advertisement

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Nicoll (-230), Aguilar (+190)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round: Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Song (-192), Glenn (+160)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:…

Valter Walker dug into his bag of tricks and took a small but not insignificant step forward in the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight division.

The ex-Titan Fighting Championship titleholder disposed of Junior Tafa with a heel hook in the first round of their featured UFC 305 prelim on Saturday at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. Tafa (5-3, 1-3 UFC) yelled in pain as his adversary isolated his leg and cranked, resulting in the verbal submission.

Advertisement

UFC 305: Du Plessis vs. Adesanya Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!

Walker (12-1, 1-1 UFC) withstood power punches from the Soma Fight Club product, secured two takedowns, established a dominant position and eventually targeted a lower extremity. Tafa went nose to nose with the Brazilian in the aftermath and delivered a slap to the side of his head before he was physically escorted to the other side of the cage.

Meanwhile, Ricardo Ramos rode an opportunistic takedown and a near-finish to a …

Brendan Allen punches Marvin Vettori post PFL playoffs @ufc #ufc pic.twitter.com/eU3BxIivxr

— himothy (@Im565097757086) August 17, 2024

Though they have yet to cross paths in the Octagon, that didn’t prevent Brendan Allen and Marvin Vettori from getting into a scuffle on Friday night.

The two UFC middleweights brawled on the casino floor at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, following the PFL 8 playoff card at the same venue. Multiple videos of the altercation have surfaced on social media.

According to a report from MMA Mania, the fight began when Vettori threw a punch at UFC light heavyweight George Tokkos. That prompted Allen to enter the fray and throw punches at “The Italian Dream.”

Vettori appeared to be no worse for wear in a video posted to his Instagram stories.

“One arm Vettori is unbeaten,” he wrote. “Ain’t never missing s—t.”

Meanwhile, UFC CEO Dana White couldn’t resist taking a shot at the rival pro…

Kayla Harrison is willing to replace either Raquel Pennington or Julianna Pena in their UFC 307 title fight if needed.

Advertisement

The promotion recently announced Pennington’s title defense against Pena as the co-main event at UFC 307 on Oct. 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Meanwhile, Harrison fights Ketlen Vieira on the same card, with the winner expected to get the next bantamweight title shot.

Harrison doesn’t necessarily agree with the matchups and considers herself deserving of a title shot already. However, she plans to put on a performance that will set her levels apart from not only her opponent, but also from the other two bantamweights fighting for the title.

“I don’t necessarily agree with the decision, but if they want me to smash another skull, I’ll smash another skull,” Harrison told MMAjunkie.com. “I think Ketlen’s good. I’m just at a different level. I’m at a different level from all of them. I’m gonna go out on Oct. 5 and…

Khalil Rountree Jr. receiving a title shot did not sit well with some other light heavyweight contenders.

Advertisement

It was announced on Friday that Rountree will challenge Alex Pereira for the 205-pound crown at UFC 307 on Oct. 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Former champs Jan Blachowicz and Jamahal Hill immediately took issue with the announcement.

Blachowicz believes the Pereira is receiving “special protection” from the UFC, which the Brazilian doesn’t need.

“With all due respect to Khalil but there are at least two higher ranked contenders who are ready to fight Poatan,” Blachowicz wrote on X. “He doesn’t need special protection.”

With all due respect to Khalil but there are at least two higher ranked contenders who are ready to fight Poatan. He doesn’t need special protection.

— Jan Blachowicz (@JanBlachowicz) August 16, 2024

Meanwhile, Hill, who was scheduled to fight Rountree at UFC 303 in June, broug…