Dricus du Plessis successfully defended his middleweight title for the first time tonight at UFC 305 with a fourth round submission victory over Israel Adesanya.
Round One:
The middleweight title main event is underway in Australia!
Adesanya feels out with the jab. Calf kick from du Plessis. He misses on another one. Adesanya still just feeling out with the jab as he looks to dictate the range.
Du Plessis darts forward with a big punch, but Adesanya backs off and blocks. Again DDP comes forward and Adesanya slides out of range.
Nice body kick for Adesanya. Punch and a kick from DDP miss. Calf kick for Adesanya. Body kick from Du Plessis.
Punch from Adesanya and DDP threatens with a head kick then tries for a takedown that doesn’t work out.
Body kick for Adesanya. Du Plessis tries for a kick too but misses. Nice punch now lands for DDP though.
Low kick for du Plessis. DDP bursts forward and lands a punch. Now back to the leg kick for the champ.
Jab from Adesanya and a high kick attempt in response from DDP that’s blocked. Du Plessis with a low kick. He threatens with a high kick again.
Adesanya digs well to the body. DDP comes battling back as the round comes to a close.
Round Two:
Kick from Adesanya to start. Low kick and a punch from DDP. Low kick for Adesanya. Adesanya steps in for a strike, but DDP time a takedown nicely off that. Adesanya immediately trying to get back up. DDP staying on him though. As Adesanya looks to stand DDP takes the back.
Du Plessis sinks in a choke and Adesanya looks to fend it off. DDP adjusts and then goes for it again. He gets it in but Adesanya slickly escapes and works back to his feet.
Kick from Adesanya that might have strayed to the groin but ref says it’s ok and to fight on.
Punch lands for Adesanya. He lands again. DDP lands in return. Now a low single from DDP to get Adesanya down. Adesanya gets back to a knee then slowly starts to get upright. He turns his back into the cage as du Plessis tries for another takedown. Adesanya goes back to his knees. DDP unable to complete that takedown and Adesanya stands.
DDP goes around to his back now though. DDP drags him back down to his knees. He gets to a knee again and stands after throwing a punch behind him.
Du Plessis still clinched to his back though and lands a few nice punches. Adesanya turns his back to the cage. Now a trip from Adesanya to take DDP down, but the champ is quickly back up and working him into the cage again as the round ends.
Round Three:
Adesanya feeling out with the jab. DDP thinks about a jumping knee but doesn’t commit to it. Oblique kick from DDP. Leg kick for Adesanya. Adesanya with a a left hand.
Right hand for DDP. He misses on a leg kick and thinks about a spinning backfist without committing to it.
Solid body shot for Adesanya. Head kick attempt from DDP is blocked. Head kick attempt from Adesanya now that almost sneaked through.
DDP slowing down a little. He then barrels forward with a few winging punches that miss. Body punch for Adesanya again.
Now a couple of punches in a row rip to the body as he perhaps senses that taking a toll on the champ.
Right hand for Du Plessis. DDP presses forward but Adesanya greets him with a spinning elbow.
left lands for du Plessis. Jab for Adesanya. DDP charges forward with piston-like punches. He tries for a takedown, but Adesanya gets away from that one.
Nice right for Adesanya. Now DDP is swinging and Adesanya trips to the mat for a moment.
Punch for DDP. Body punch from Adesanya. DDP swinging hard but a little more labored than earlier on.
Series of hard body punches from Adesanya. DDP takes a deep breath but then just gets right back to it. Very competitive back-and-forth action here as they get ready to head into the championship rounds.
Round Four:
High kick off the guard from Adesanya. Low kick for DDP. Uppercut and body work from Adesanya. Du Plessis tries for a takedown but Adesanya stuffs it.
DDP Looks a bit tired as he gets back to his feet but goes right back to work. Nice right for Adesanya. He lands a kick to the body and then punches.
left hand for Adesanya. He avoids a couple of hard punches from DDP. Punches from Adesanya come off the guard and then the champ lands a counter.
Leg kick for du Plessis. Adesanya ducks under a couple of punches. Body kick for DDP. left hand for Adesanya through the guard and then goes for a right and an uppercut.
Check hook for Adesanya as DDP comes forward. Now back to the body punch. Clubbing left hook from du Plessis. He throws more behind it but misses.
Another left lands for du Plessis. Adesanya stumbles now and might be hurt. He rights himself and seems ok though and waves DDP on.
Du Plessis accepts that invitation as he steps in, lands a few right hands and then is able to drag Adesanya to the mat and take his back.
DDP sinks in the rear-naked choke quickly and gets his hooks in, and that’s it, Adesanya taps out and Dricus du Plessis retains his title at 3.38mins of the 4th round!
