Israel Adesanya’s UFC 305 Return Ends in Defeat
Israel Adesanya returned to the UFC middleweight title picture at UFC 305 on August 17, 2024, challenging champion Dricus du Plessis in Perth. Du Plessis retained the belt, submitting Adesanya with a rear-naked choke at 3:38 of Round 4.
A long-awaited return ended in defeat
Adesanya had not fought since losing the middleweight championship to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023. He returned after an 11-month break and had the chance to become a three-time UFC middleweight champion. Instead, Du Plessis weathered the challenge and forced the finish late in the fourth round.
The contest followed years of tension over each fighter’s identity and connection to Africa. Du Plessis had said he wanted to be the first UFC champion who lived and trained on the continent; Adesanya, born in Nigeria and raised in New Zealand, objected to how that claim framed African champions who had built careers abroad. Their dispute carried into the build-up, but the result was decided in the cage.
Du Plessis kept the championship
Du Plessis’ fourth-round rear-naked choke was his first successful title defense. The finish halted Adesanya’s attempt to reclaim the belt and gave the South African champion a second win over a former champion after his split-decision victory over Strickland at UFC 297.
For Adesanya, the loss raised new questions about his next step, but it did not erase his record as one of the defining middleweights of his era. UFC 305 was his first fight in nearly a year and his first meeting with Du Plessis. The title opportunity was real; the redemption story did not end as he hoped.
Result: Dricus du Plessis def. Israel Adesanya by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 4, 3:38 — UFC 305, Perth, Australia.
Sources
- UFC: Official UFC 305 results and scorecards
- UFC: UFC 305 main card results
- Reuters: Du Plessis submits Adesanya to retain title
Tags
MMA, Combat Sports
