Adesanya or du Plessis? Question to be Answered at UFC 305

Sean Strickland awaits the winner

This is more than a title fight for Israel Adesanya.

It is one for his legacy.

In just a few hours, Adesanya challenges Dricus du Plessis for the UFC Middleweight Championship in Perth at UFC 305.

Du Plessis, who carries the longest active winning streak in the middleweight division at seven, looks to deliver the most significant victory of his career at UFC 305 by defeating Adesanya. This would be even bigger than his win against Sean Strickland, who du Plessis (21-2) defeated in January to win the title.

The champ is feeling confident 💪@DricusDuPlessis | #UFC305 pic.twitter.com/EVc7MRuG4Y

— UFC (@ufc) August 17, 2024

The face of the division for the past five years, Adesanya (24-3) has won 13 of his 15 fights in the division, dominated as champ, and he is chasing Anderson Silva as the greatest middleweight fighter of all-time. A win here, which would start Adesanya’s third reign with the belt, would certainly help bolster his argument.

Adesanya’s last fight took place in September when he was perpetually a step behind Strickland and lost by unanimous decision. At 35, it is worth asking whether Adesanya has lost a step. A counter-argument is that one fight prior, he knocked out Alex Pereira in April of 2023. So his showing at UFC 305 will be telling.

For both fighters, there is more at stake than the championship. This is a legacy bout, one that will be forever attached to the winner–and the loser.