.Aug 12, 2024, 10:00 AM ETThere's one thing exclusive regarding a combined fighting styles event Down Under.Maybe it is actually the amount of time warp a North American enthusiast expertises while checking out fights on TV on a Saturday night and also recognizing that they are actually taking place the adhering to early morning, true time. That's about as disorienting as being cageside in Australia and understanding that fans midway worldwide are viewing the fights stay ... last night.Or maybe it's one thing else that makes enjoying mixed martial arts matches in Australia experience thus unusual. Maybe it is the battles on their own, which usually possess various exclamation points fastened. Any person following the sport for several years has actually watched the truth twists that may emanate coming from cage matches in this particular section of the Southern Hemisphere.Mark Quest as well as Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva delivered a career's worth of big-time harm on one another during one memorable evening in Brisbane in 2013. A record-setting night (morning?) in Sydney a year later on, with 11 fights and also 11 finishes. And also, of course, Holly Holm booting Ronda Rousey off her higher equine at UFC 193 in 2015 in Melbourne. That occasion developed a company participation report that stood up until the Octagon was brought back to Melbourne in 2019 and 57,127 loaded Wonder Stadium to see Israel Adesanya knock senseless Robert Whittaker and also become middleweight champion.When the eight-sided crate returns to Australia on Saturday, the former two-time champ is going to test Dricus Du Plessis in the main activity of UFC 305 in Perth. On the line is going to be actually certainly not only a glossy band however the honor of a continent 5,000 miles away, as both boxers are originated in Africa, though with far various life experiences.That's the genesis of just one of many intriguing stories that will play out this weekend break. Right here are five things to watch for at UFC 305. That will gain the homeland on a distant bank? 1. Middleweight championship: Dricus Du Plessis (c) vs. Israel AdesanyaIsrael Adesanya conflict Dricus Du Plessis generally activity at UFC 305. Photo by Will Russell/Zuffa LLCSaturday's main event remains in Western Australia, although the sensitive territory war is actually connected to an arrive on the far edge of the Indian Ocean. Du Plessis was actually born as well as still resides in South Africa. Adesanya was born in Nigeria and relocated with his loved ones to New Zealand when he was actually 10 years aged. Because of those dissimilar life courses, Du Plessis the moment stated, "I am the African boxer in the UFC." That performed certainly not sit well with Adesanya, who has mentioned his household departed searching for academic opportunities.Editor's Picks1 RelatedIf there is actually an animosity added to the already high-rise concerns, therefore be it. It's certainly not a necessary ingredient to make this a fascinating match, but let's not neglect that the last time Adesanya remained in an animosity-fueled match, he styled on Paulo Costa just before knocking him out in 2020. His one KO since then happened against Alex Pereira in 2014, five months after Pereira possessed KO 'd him. So "The Last Stylebender" has actually shown a crave the get-back, especially versus strong aggressors. Can Adesanya's counterpunching stop the brief reign of Du Plessis, who possesses bulldozed his method to 9 victories in a row?Which rebuilding task will stand tall? 2. Guy's flyweight: Kai Kara-France vs. Steve ErcegThe initially pair of opportunities Kara-France contended in the UFC, the fights took place in Australia and also he was actually type of the neighborhood guy. He's really from New Zealand, 1,300 miles around the Tasman Ocean, however his rivals were actually coming from the opposite side of the world, the USA as well as South America. This moment, though, it's an away ready Kara-France, as Erceg was actually birthed in Perth and lives 20 moments coming from RAC Field. Erceg has combated in his home town 6 opportunities, but all before his signing with the UFC final summer. He is actually brought in merely 4 travels inside the Octagon and currently has completed for the 125-pound title.That final factor highlights just how this match, like the centerpiece, has to do with greater than geographics. Erceg, 29, was actually riding an 11-fight winning touch when he unsuccessfully challenged Alexandre Pantoja in May. Kara-France, 31, tried for an acting belt in 2022, losing through TKO to ex-champ Brandon Moreno. Each Kara-France as well as Erceg remain in rebuilding mode. A loss listed here would certainly not be actually the end of the road towards challenger condition, yet it could send that competitor on a dissuading detour.Can all of us only appreciate a turning good time? 3. Heavyweight: Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho RozenstruikTai Tuivasa hopes to finish a four-fight losing touch at UFC 305 on Sunday evening. Image by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesI experience regretful for loving Tuivasa fights as long as I carry out. Sure, I enjoy watching a carefully tuned professional athlete show off technical combat skill-sets in giving damage as well as stopping what an enemy can easily toss their method. That is actually the combined fighting styles I'm comfortable being an enthusiast of. But I merely can not avert coming from a slobber knocker, which is what Tuivasa consistently promises.Top accounts of the full week from Obtain special accessibility to thousands of fee articles a year coming from best authors. u2022 MLB forecasts: Will Court attacked 60 HRs? "u2022 Barnwell: NFL playoff crews to return "u2022 Final CFB preseason SP+ positions" Even more ESPN+ web content ".What the Aussie may not always assure, naturally, is his fantastically awful postfight occasion, the shoey. The beer and footwear appear only in success, as well as Tuivasa has actually dropped four matches straight. But here's one thing worthwhile of celebrating, even prior to the 1st haymaker is affaired by these heavy-handed top cats: the matchmaking. Rozenstruik can swing for the fencings like Tuivasa, thus this should be enjoyable while it lasts.Will this degree adjustment be successful? 4. Lightweight: Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan HookerI was actually starting to get anxious for Courtesan-- identical to the nerves of seeing Tony Ferguson contend at 40 years of ages. Courtesan is just 34 and his skid had not been pretty as sad, but during the course of an extent coming from June 2020 by means of March 2022, he went down 4 of five matches, getting completed in every but one of the losses. It needs to be actually noted that those defeats came against Islam Makhachev, Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler and also Arnold Allen-- not a tomato can easily one of all of them. And also Hooker has considering that bounced back along with a pair of triumphes over opponents an action lower on the ladder (Jalin Turner, Claudio Puelles). The problem for Whore is actually that this fight places him straight back on top amount of competitors. Gamrot has actually won seven of eight fights and also performs the fringe of the headline picture. Will he be actually too much for Woman of the streets, or even will Gamrot obtain pushed away from the frame?One fighter's roof is actually one more fighter's ... roof? 5. Female's flyweight: Casey O'Neill vs. Luana SantosO'Neill was 9-0 after she won her 4th direct UFC fight in very early 2022, and also observers were actually starting to hypothesize on where her ceiling was. Now she performs a two-fight skid, and the guessing problems just how much her falloff may be. In the meantime, Santos is three matches right into her UFC round, riding a five-fight winning touch and also looking like an increasing prospect. This is a necessary exam for both women, an amount setter. O'Neill is 26 years of ages, while Santos is actually simply 24. So their storyline could weave for several years.