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The UFC visits Perth this weekend for a major pay-per-view event. With some huge stars in action, this is an event not to miss.
UFC 305: Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya features one of the biggest grudge matches in some time in the headliner, as well as some other big fights.
With plenty on offer, then, there are several fascinating things for fans to keep an eye on this weekend.
Here are five things to watch out for at UFC 305: Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya.
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#5. Rising stars will hope to shine on UFC 305's prelim card
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UFC 305's preliminary card might be a little low in name value, but that doesn't mean that there isn't plenty of talent on offer there.
With seven fights on offer before the pay-per-view itself begins, several fighters will be looking to steal part of the spotlight.
So who is most likely to do this? Realistically, two names stand out over and above the others.
One is Casey O'Neill. The Scottish-born, Australian-based flyweight was hoping to have climbed into title contention at 125 pounds by now. However, a torn ACL and back-to-back losses to Jennifer Maia and Ariane Lipski have derailed her badly.
If 'King' can dispatch Luana Santos in the same way that she did to Antonina Shevchenko and Lara Procopio, though, all of her hype would come right back.
The second fighter with the potential to steal the show from the prelims is lightweight prospect Tom Nolan.
An Australian favorite, 'Big Train' is just 1-1 in the octagon, but his last fight saw him violently dispatch his foe Victor Martinez. If he can repeat the trick against Alex Reyes this weekend, he could well find himself unexpectedly in the spotlight.
Given that Reyes has suffered two knockouts in his last two fights, to see Nolan pull it off wouldn't be a surprise.
#4. Dan Hooker will hope to climb back into contention, but can he really beat Mateusz Gamrot?
UFC history is littered with fighters who fell from title contention, often badly, only to surprise fans by climbing back up the ladder against the odds.
Dan Hooker is currently hoping to join their ranks, and this weekend 'The Hangman' will be looking to take the final step back into the lightweight title picture.
Hooker was forced out of that spot thanks to his losses to Islam Makhachev, Dustin Poirier, and Michael Chandler. However, the New Zealand native has since turned things around, beating Claudio Puelles and Jalin Turner in back-to-back fights.
This weekend, though, he'll be faced with a completely different challenge. Currently ranked at No. 5 in the lightweight division, Poland's Mateusz Gamrot is a fighter with basically no weaknesses.
'Gamer' holds wins over the likes of Rafael Dos Anjos and Rafael Fiziev, and is one of just two fighters to best Arman Tsarukyan in the octagon.
On paper at least, Gamrot should be a nightmare match for Hooker, despite the latter hoping to enjoy a partisan crowd in his favor.
If 'The Hangman' can find a way to win, though, it would not only class as probably his career-best victory, but, remarkably, he'd be back in contention too. For that reason, this one is a fight to keep a close eye on.
#3. Can Tai Tuivasa rescue his UFC career?
The fighter with the most to lose this weekend - outside of the two headline fighters - is probably Tai Tuivasa.
'Bam Bam' is a cult favorite not only in his native Australia but with fans around the world thanks to his affable personality and his famous 'shoey' celebration.
However, the big man has also lost his last four bouts in the octagon, leaving his UFC career hanging by a thread coming into this weekend.
Few fighters are allowed to stick around off the back of four losses, and fewer still manage to retain their spot on the roster with five defeats in a row.
Therefore, Tuivasa's fight with Jairzinho Rozenstruik will take on more of a desperate edge, making it a must-see affair.
If 'Bam Bam' can find a way to win, then the memories of his recent losses would be erased, even if it's unlikely any questions around his ground game would be answered.
If he loses, though, then it's hard to see what the future might hold for him. Either way, we should probably expect fireworks from this one.
#2. Steve Erceg will be looking to prove he's not a flash-in-the-pan
When a fighter produces a surprisingly good showing in a UFC title challenge, even in losing, their stock always tends to rise.
However, it's often hard for these fighters to follow up on their impressive display, and many of them simply fail to ever reach those heights again. In essence, it's the difference between a true contender and a flash-in-the-pan.
Which way will flyweight contender Steve Erceg go? We could well find out this weekend.
'Astro Boy' was last seen in the headliner of UFC 301, pushing flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja to the limit, even in defeat.
Before that, the Aussie was 3-0 in the octagon, but whether he'd proven enough to deserve a title shot was debatable. That means his bout this weekend against Kai Kara-France could be pivotal.
A win would push Erceg back into contention for Pantoja's crown. A loss, though, would suggest that he belongs on the lengthy list of the UFC's one-hit wonders.
Which way will 'Astro Boy' go? It's impossible to tell until this weekend, making his fight with Kara-France one of the event's most intriguing.
#1. Emotional Israel Adesanya might be in over his head
Throughout his UFC career, which dates back to 2018, Israel Adesanya has always seemed as cold as ice.
'The Last Stylebender' might not be the most natural trash talker, but his confident demeanor has allowed him to get under the skin of fighters like Paulo Costa and Robert Whittaker, leading him to victory.
However, whether the confident version of Adesanya still exists following his title loss to Sean Strickland last year is debatable.
Many fans expected him to return from his lengthy absence with his swagger intact, particularly against a bitter rival in current middleweight kingpin Dricus du Plessis.
At today's press conference, though, fans were treated to a more vulnerable 'Last Stylebender'. When du Plessis poked fun at his family background, Adesanya simply couldn't remain cool, and even shed some tears as he attempted to fling insults back at 'Stillknocks'.
Is du Plessis inside the head of Adesanya, then? Judging by today's events, it seems like that is the case.
If it is, then 'The Last Stylebender' could be out of his depth. To win this fight he probably needs to keep his cool and snipe 'Stillknocks' from the outside, rather than be drawn into a firefight.
Based on what we saw today, though, Adesanya keeping his cool looks less and less likely. His anger at du Plessis may drive him toward success, of course, but right now, the signs point to a win for the South African.
Therefore, the way that Adesanya handles himself in Perth is going to be the biggest thing to watch out for come fight time.
