.Aug 12, 2024, 10:00 AM ETThere's one thing exclusive about a blended fighting styles activity Down Under.Maybe it's the moment warp a Northern American supporter adventures while watching matches on TV on a Saturday night and recognizing that they're occurring the adhering to early morning, true time. That has to do with as disorienting as being actually cageside in Australia and knowing that enthusiasts halfway around the globe are actually seeing the fights live ... final night.Or maybe it's something else that creates seeing mixed martial arts fights in Australia experience therefore unusual. Maybe it is the matches on their own, which often have several vociferation points attached. Any person complying with the sport for many years has experienced the truth twists that can rise coming from cage fights in this section of the Southern Hemisphere.Mark Pursuit as well as Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva caused an occupation's well worth of heavyweight harm on one another in the course of one remarkable evening in Brisbane in 2013. A record-setting evening (early morning?) in Sydney a year later on, with 11 fights and also 11 appearances. And also, certainly, Holly Holm booting Ronda Rousey off her high horse at UFC 193 in 2015 in Melbourne. That occasion created a provider presence record that stood up up until the Octagon was reminded Melbourne in 2019 as well as 57,127 filled up Wonder Arena to see Israel Adesanya knock senseless Robert Whittaker as well as come to be middleweight champion.When the eight-sided crate go back to Australia on Saturday, the previous two-time champ is going to challenge Dricus Du Plessis in the main activity of UFC 305 in Perth. Vulnerable will certainly be actually not only a shiny band but the take pride in of a continent 5,000 kilometers away, as both fighters are embeded in Africa, though with much different lifestyle experiences.That's the genesis of just among a number of intriguing stories that will play out this weekend break. Listed below are actually five things to watch for at UFC 305. Who will draw the home on a distant bank? 1. Middleweight champion: Dricus Du Plessis (c) vs. Israel AdesanyaIsrael Adesanya conflict Dricus Du Plessis in the main event at UFC 305. Picture by Willpower Russell/Zuffa LLCSaturday's main event is in Western Australia, although the touchy turf battle is hooked up to an arrive on the much edge of the Indian Sea. Du Plessis was birthed and still resides in South Africa. Adesanya was actually born in Nigeria and also moved with his family members to New Zealand when he was actually ten years aged. In light of those inconsonant lifestyle courses, Du Plessis once declared, "I am actually the African competitor in the UFC." That carried out not agree with Adesanya, that possesses stated his family members emigrated in search of educational opportunities.Editor's Picks1 RelatedIf there's a grudge contributed to the currently skyscraping stakes, thus be it. It is actually certainly not a required substance to create this an appealing match, but allowed's certainly not forget that the last time Adesanya remained in an animosity-fueled match, he designated on Paulo Costa just before knocking him out in 2020. His one KO since then came versus Alex Pereira in 2014, 5 months after Pereira possessed KO 'd him. So "The Final Stylebender" has actually shown a thirst for the get-back, especially versus effective assailants. Can Adesanya's counterpunching stop the short reign of Du Plessis, who has bulldozed his method to nine victories in a row?Which restoring job will stand tall? 2. Men's flyweight: Kai Kara-France vs. Steve ErcegThe initially 2 opportunities Kara-France contended in the UFC, the battles took place in Australia and he was type of the nearby guy. He's in fact coming from New Zealand, 1,300 miles all over the Tasman Sea, but his challengers were actually coming from the opposite side of the world, the United States as well as Brazil. This moment, though, it's an away ready Kara-France, as Erceg was birthed in Perth and also lives 20 minutes from RAC Stadium. Erceg has actually combated in his home town 6 times, however all before his finalizing along with the UFC last summer months. He's created only 4 journeys inside the Octagon and presently has actually competed for the 125-pound title.That final point highlights exactly how this match, like the centerpiece, is about much more than geographics. Erceg, 29, was riding an 11-fight winning streak when he unsuccessfully tested Alexandre Pantoja in Might. Kara-France, 31, made a bid for an interim waistband in 2022, dropping by TKO to ex-champ Brandon Moreno. Each Kara-France and Erceg remain in reconstructing method. A loss here will certainly not be completion of the road towards opponent status, however it could deliver that fighter on a preventing detour.Can all of us just take pleasure in a swaying good time? 3. Big-time: Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho RozenstruikTai Tuivasa wants to finish a four-fight losing touch at UFC 305 on Saturday night. Picture through Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesI really feel apologetic for loving Tuivasa battles as much as I carry out. Certain, I love enjoying a finely tuned athlete exhibit technological combat skills in bring upon harm and turning off what a rival can throw their means. That's the mixed fighting styles I'm comfortable being actually a fan of. But I just can not avert coming from a slobber knocker, which is what Tuivasa regularly promises.Top tales of the week coming from Obtain exclusive accessibility to lots of premium short articles a year from top article writers. u2022 MLB prophecies: Will Judge hit 60 HRs? "u2022 Barnwell: NFL playoff crews to return "u2022 Final CFB preseason SP+ positions" Even more ESPN+ material ".What the Aussie can certainly not regularly guarantee, obviously, is his fantastically awful postfight festivity, the shoey. The beer and shoes emerge only in success, as well as Tuivasa has actually shed four fights straight. However here's something worthwhile of commemorating, even before the initial haymaker is actually affaired by these heavy-handed heavyweights: the matchmaking. Rozenstruik can open for the fences like Tuivasa, so this set should be actually exciting while it lasts.Will this degree adjustment achieve success? 4. Lightweight: Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan HookerI was actually beginning to acquire tense for Courtesan-- comparable to the nerves of watching Tony Ferguson compete at 40 years old. Concubine is simply 34 as well as his skid had not been quite as saddening, however in the course of a stretch from June 2020 by means of March 2022, he went down 4 of 5 battles, acquiring ended up with all yet one of the losses. It should be kept in mind that those defeats came versus Islam Makhachev, Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler as well as Arnold Allen-- certainly not a tomato can among them. And Hooker has actually since recuperated with a pair of success over opponents a measure lower on the step ladder (Jalin Turner, Claudio Puelles). The issue for Courtesan is that this battle puts him right back on top degree of competition. Gamrot has gained seven of 8 fights and also is on the edge of the label image. Will he be actually a lot of for Woman of the streets, or even will Gamrot get nudged away from the frame?One boxer's roof is another fighter's ... roof? 5. Women's flyweight: Casey O'Neill vs. Luana SantosO'Neill was 9-0 after she gained her fourth direct UFC fight in early 2022, and viewers were actually starting to speculate on where her ceiling was actually. Today she performs a two-fight skid, as well as the guess work issues how far her falloff may be. At the same time, Santos is actually 3 matches into her UFC run, using a five-fight winning touch and also resembling a climbing possibility. This is actually a suitable examination for both women, a level setter. O'Neill is 26 years old, while Santos is actually just 24. So their story can weave for many years.