Israel Adesanya has officially announced that he will challenge Drisus du Plessis of South Africa for the UFC middleweight title.
The highly anticipated bout is scheduled to take place at UFC 305 on August 17 in Australia.
Adesanya, known as “The Stylebender,” confirmed the matchup in a post on his X account on Monday. This fight marks a crucial moment for Adesanya, who aims to reclaim the title he lost to Sean Strickland in September 2023 at UFC 293 in Sydney.
The defeat to Strickland, via unanimous decision, was the third loss in Adesanya’s 27-fight UFC career.
Drisus du Plessis, the current middleweight champion, secured his title by defeating Strickland in January, becoming the first South African champion in UFC history.
The bout against Adesanya promises to be a significant event, with du Plessis defending his title for the first time.
The rivalry between Adesanya and du Plessis began in 2023 when du Plessis claimed he wanted to be “the first real African champion” in the UFC, a statement that Adesanya and other African UFC champions, like Kamaru Usman and Francis Ngannou, found disrespectful.
Du Plessis later clarified that his aim was to be the first UFC champion born, living, and training in Africa.
