The time has come and UFC 305 is finally upon us from Perth, Western Australia. 24 fighters will weigh-in for their respective bouts when the action reaches a fever pitch. Hometown Australian fighters will be showcased as we see a massive title fight at the top of the card. Check out our UFC odds series for our betting predictions and picks.
The Main Event is set to feature a monumental title fight atop the Middleweight Division as Champion Dricus Du Plessis steps into hostile territory to defend his title for the first time against the former champion an No. 2 contender, Israel Adesanya. There's bad blood between these two and the animosity has been boiling for quite some time. Come Saturday, we'll finally get to see these two share the cage after months of trash talk and heated exchanges.
The Co-Main Event will feature an extremely high-level matchup atop the Flyweight Division as New Zealand's No. 4 Kai Kara-France will take on the hometown fighter from Perth in No. 7 Steve Erceg. Both men have recently fought for a title within the division and look to return to the same status following a win here. You won't want to miss a second of this electrifying matchup.
Here are the UFC 305 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 305 Odds: Best Betting Props
Carlos Prates Wins by KO/TKO/DQ (-110)
Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg DOES Go the Distance (-225)
Israel Adesanya wins by KO/TKO/DQ (+300)
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Carlos Prates Wins by KO/TKO/DQ (-110) vs. Li Jingliang
Carlos Prates will be making his UFC Pay-Per-View debut as he takes on an established veteran in the division with Li Jingliang. Despite this being just his third fight, Prates has already made a massive impression with his nine-fight winning streak, eight of which he ended in knockout. He opened his UFC run with two stellar knockouts and his combination of length and strength is already looking like a problem for other fighters in the division.
Prates will have a similar advantage in this fight with his size, but this will undoubtedly be his toughest opponent to date. Still, Li Jingliang has been known to get cracked and he's coming back from a lengthy layoff from competition. His opponent won't be able to make any mistakes, so we like the short odds on Prates to win this fight by knockout. He hasn't seen a third round since 2019, so expect him to be trying for the knockout from the opening bell.
Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg DOES Go the Distance (-225)
This is going to be an extremely fun Co-Main Event and watching these two fighters interact all throughout fight week is a clear indication that there's a ton of respect on both sides for the opposition. Both fighters are extremely skilled in all areas of mixed martial arts and they do a great job of mixing looks up against their opponents. Both men are also lightning-fast and we should see a very calculated game plan from both sides ahead of this one.
With the over of 2.5 rounds juiced to where it is, you have to like both of these fighters to outlast each other through three rounds. While the small striking advantage can be given to Steve Erceg, we may favor Kara-France slightly in the wrestling due to his scramble abilities. As a result, both men's skills may cancel each other out as we see a stalemate for much of this fight. Let's take this one to see a decision as both fighters fully respect each other's games.
Israel Adesanya wins by KO/TKO/DQ (+300) vs. Dricus Du Plessis
This fight will be the ultimate test in determining whether Dricus Du Plessis is the true champion of this division or not. He's taken-out most of the top fighters in the division with relative ease, but the challenge of facing the former champion is still yet to be conquered. Israel Adesanya comes into this fight looking refreshed after his short break from action and all throughout fight week, the hunger in his eyes has been palpable. It seems as though this fight truly means something to Adesanya and we could see the most dialed version of him yet come Saturday.
I expect Dricus Du Plessis to push the action from the opening bell, but playing it smart with Adesanya once he gets tagged a few times. Israel Adesanya is the ultimate counter-puncher and Du Plessis' style allows for him to sit back and pick his shots. We may be forgetting too soon that Adesanya remains as one of the best strikers on the planet and I suspect everyone to be reminded of the fact come Saturday night. Let's ride the former champ to regain his belt as he finishes this fight early with a knockout.
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