PERTH, Australia (AP) — South African Dricus du Plessis took a flurry of body hits across four rounds before defeating Israel Adesanya by submission to retain his middleweight championship at UFC 305 on Sunday.
After scoring some early takedowns, du Plessis (22-2) had to withstand a flurry of body strikes from Adesanya through the middle rounds which appeared to be taking a toll on the 30-year-old South African as the fight progressed.
But a right hook to the side of Adesanya’s head in the fourth round gave du Plessis the opening he needed as he swiftly got the takedown and choke hold which forced the Nigerian-born New Zealander to tap out.
Sunday’s victory at the a sold out RAC Arena at Perth, Australia was the third time the South African has beat off challengers for the competitve middleweight division and second time this year after he won with a split decision over Sean Strickland in January at UFC 297.
The 35-year-old Adesanya (24-4) was making his first appearance since losing the middleweight title by unanimous decision to Strickland in Sydney in September last year and was bidding to become a three-time middleweight champion.
Earlier, hometown favorite Steve Erceg’s was knocked out in the first round in his flyweight bout with New Zealand’s Kai Kara-France. It was Erceg’s first fight since he was unanimously outpointed by champion Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 301 in Brazil in May.
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