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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Erickson

UFC 305 predictions: Will Dricus Du Plessis or Israel Adesanya leave Perth as champ?

The UFC is back in Western Australia this week with a middleweight title grudge match at the top of the bill.

UFC 305 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) takes place Saturday (Sunday in Australia) at RAC Arena in Perth.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid for the main card in a separate window.)

Get main card pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.

Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates

Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates

Records: Jingliang (19-8 MMA, 11-6 UFC), Prates (19-6 MMA, 2-0 UFC)
Past five: Jingliang 2-3, Calos Prates 5-0
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 08.17.24): Jingliang +280, Calos Prates -355
Junkie pick results: Prates 7, Jingliang 4

Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Tai Tuivasa

Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik

Records: Rozenstruik (14-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC), Tuivasa (15-7 MMA, 8-7 UFC)
Past five: Rozenstruik 2-3, Tuivasa 1-4
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: Tuivasa No. 10, Rozenstruik No. 15
Odds (as of 08.17.24): Rozenstruik -230, Tuivasa +190
Junkie pick results: Rozenstruik 9, Tuivasa 2

Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker

Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker

Records: Gamrot (24-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC), Hooker (23-12 MMA, 13-8 UFC)
Past five: Gamrot 4-1, Hooker 3-2
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: Gamrot No. 6, Hooker No. 15
Odds (as of 08.17.24): Gamrot -355, Hooker +280
Junkie pick results: Gamrot 11, Hooker 0

Steve Erceg vs. Kai Kara-France

Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg

Records: Erceg (12-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC), Kara-France (24-11 MMA, 7-4 UFC)
Past five: Erceg 4-1, Kara-France 3-2
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Kara-France No. 10, Erceg No. 12
Odds (as of 08.17.24): Erceg -185, Kara-France +155
Junkie pick results: Erceg 10, Kara-France 1

Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

Records: Du Plessis (21-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC), Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC)
Past five: Du Plessis 5-0, Adesanya 2-3
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: Du Plessis No. 1, No. 9 pound-for-pound; Adesanya No. 2, honorable mention pound-for-pound
Odds (as of 08.17.24): Pick’em
Junkie pick results: Adesanya 6, Du Plessis 5

Preliminary card picks

Luana Santos

Although they don’t count toward the standings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights on the prelims. Here are the results:

  • Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker: Tafa 9, Walker 2
  • Josh Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos: Ramos 6, Culibao 5
  • Casey O’Neill vs. Luana Santos: Santos 8, O’Neill 3
  • Herbert Burns vs. Jack Jenkins: Jenkins 10, Burns 1
  • Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes: Nolan 11, Reyes 0
  • Ricky Glenn vs. Song Kenan: Kenan 11, Glenn0
  • Jesus Aguilar vs. Stewart Nicoll: Nicoll 9, Aguilar 2

Check out all the main card picks below.

UFC 305 main card picks

Du Plessis
vs.
Adesanya
Erceg
vs.
Kara-France
Gamrot
vs.
Hooker
Rozenstruik
vs.
Tuivasa
Jingliang
vs.
Prates
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
137-78

Adesanya
(56%)

Erceg
(76%)

Gamrot
(76%)

Rozenstruik
(59%)

Prates
(68%)
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
141-74

Adesanya

Erceg

Gamrot

Rozenstruik

Prates
Ken Hathaway
@1khathaway
141-74

Du Plessis

Erceg

Gamrot

Rozenstruik

Prates
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
138-77
2014 Champion

Adesanya

Erceg

Gamrot

Rozenstruik

Prates
Nolan King
@mma_kings
133-82
2023 Champion

Adesanya

Erceg

Gamrot

Rozenstruik

Prates
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
132-83

Adesanya

Erceg

Gamrot

Tuivasa

Jingliang
Matt Erickson
@MattE
131-84

Du Plessis

Erceg

Gamrot

Rozenstruik

Jingliang
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
130-85

Adesanya

Erceg

Gamrot

Rozenstruik

Prates
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
130-85

Adesanya

Kara-France

Gamrot

Rozenstruik

Jingliang
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
128-87

Du Plessis

Erceg

Gamrot

Tuivasa

Prates
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
122-93

Du Plessis

Erceg

Gamrot

Rozenstruik

Prates
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
117-98

Du Plessis

Erceg

Gamrot

Rozenstruik

Jingliang

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 305.

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