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Du Plessis Submits Adesanya to Settle the Middleweight Crown on his Head
The undaunting self-confidence displayed by Dricus Du Plessis turned off many fans while others thought he was unjustifiably cocky, but he backed up all the talk at UFC 305.
Dricus Du Plessis has racked up his first successful title submitting Israel Adesanya in the fourth round. The fight was a back-and-forth contest with the Adesanya’s bodywork battling Du Plessis’s blitz and explosive takedowns. Adesanya’s commitment to bodywork and adjustment to countering Du Plessis’s blitz with a lead uppercut paid off in the third. Just when it looked like the Du Plessis gas tank was drained, he pressed forward clipping Adesanya and putting him on his heels in fourth. Du Plessis firing right hands in clinch lead to dragging down “the Last StyleBender”. “StillKnocks” took the back and forced Adesanya to tap from a rear naked choke for his 11th submission win. The champion didn’t name his next challenger saying he just cares about “And Still”.
The nickname is “Don’t Blink” for a reason as Kai Kara-France put a sudden end to the co-main event knocking out Steve Erceg in the first round. Early on Steve Erceg was managing distance, landing his jab. Kara-France found the money shot whiffing on an overhand right but following through from the switched stance with an overhand left flooring Erceg. The Aussie battled by to his feet, stuck on the fence the Kiwi scored a second knockdown with a straight right, getting the finish with a few follow up strikes. Kara-France scoring the 13th first round finish of his career and reminding everyone of his position among the Flyweight elite.
Dan Hooker scored the biggest win of his UFC career a split decision over number five ranked Mateusz Gamrot. Hooker overcame being knocked down by a short right elbow and cut up by ground and pound to steal the first round on two score cards with a left hook that had Gamrot in survival mode. The Polish wrestler evened the score with an early takedown in the second. Several deep guillotines deterred Gamrot from shooting in as much as he normally would. The Hooker pressure and sharp left owned the third round of the Fight of the Night.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik is now on a win streak after out pointing Tai Tuivasa. Rozenstruik’s defense was on point avoiding the Tuivasa bombs and answering back with swift leg kicks and a snappy jab. Rozenstruik had Tuivasa hurt in the second from a right-hand right uppercut combination but the double though Aussie recovered and swung for the knockout till the bell.
As if a knockout win on the Contender Series & two knockout wins in the UFC wasn’t enough evidence that Carlos Prates has future contender written all over him, what he did to Li Jingliang should. Prates became the first man to not only knock down but knockout “The Leech”. The Prates straight left Jingliang on several occasions before a left hook put him out. A 10th win in a row with this flair would suggest Prates will be facing ranked foes sooner than later.
Valter Walker, the little brother of ranked Light-Heavyweight Johnny Walker, collected his first UFC win as a heel hook forced Junior Tafa to shut out in pain. Tafa, unhappy with the ref’s decision, had to be restrained after slapping Walker. Ricardo Ramos ended his two-fight skid taking a split decision over Josh Culibao who’s now lost three straight. Culibao destroyed Ramos’s calf in the first round but was in serious danger of being submitted in the second. Culibao had Ramos hurt in the third but again allowed his back to be taken letting the round slip away.
For the first time since February of 2022 Casey O’Neil is back in the win column. The fighter nicknamed king has halted the five-fight win streak of Luana Santos taking a unanimous decision. O’Neil’s experience and non-stop offensive outpoint was key in outworking Santos. The hammering leg kicks of Jack Jenkins stopped the mobility of Herbert Burns. Jenkins’ left hook to the body and right hook to the head combination was on point all fight, sitting Burns down in the third frame finding the finish with ground and pound.
6’3” Lightweight Tom Nolan out struck Alex Reyes to earn his second win in the UFC and first by decision. Kenan Song battered Rick Glenn to win a unanimous decision. Glenn knocked Song down with a short right hand in the first round. The second and third rounds Song did major dame to Glenn causing a hematoma to the right side of Glenn’s forehead and opening cuts under both eyes. Jesus Aguilar got the card started with a submission Dustin Poirier & Charles Oliveria would be proud of. Aguilar jumped on a guillotine choke putting Stewart Nicoll to sleep for the 7th submission win of his career.
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