Israel Adesanya wants the belt back.
Adesanya, a two-time holder of the middleweight title, announced on Monday that he will fight champion Drix du Plessis at UFC 305 on August 17 (August 18 local time) at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. It will be Adesanya's first bout since losing the belt to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023.
Check out Adesanya's social media announcement below:
In a recent interview, du Plessis mentioned the possibility of fighting Adesanya at UFC 305. The two have been locked in a fierce feud for the better part of the past two years, with the rivals facing off inside the Octagon since du Plessis's key win over former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 in July 2023.
The pair have yet to meet inside the cage, with Adesanya losing his middleweight title to Sean Strickland, who subsequently lost it to du Plessis, and Adesanya announcing a break from fighting after his loss to Strickland, and now appears intent on returning less than a year after his last fight.
Du Plessis confirmed Adesanya's UFC 305 appearance on Instagram Stories, but no official announcement has been made by either du Plessis' camp or the UFC regarding the bout. The championship showdown will likely be the main event of a pay-per-view card on August 17.
