Seven fights now officially confirmed for UFC 305, come August, in Perth

The fight card for UFC 305 just got seven huge local fights including two heavyweight bangers. BRENDAN BRADFORD reports.

Steve Erceg will fight in front of his home fans at UFC 305 in Perth. Picture: Alexandre Loureiro/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Seven fights, including a mouth-watering trans-Tasman showdown, two heavyweight bangers, the return of a Victorian cult favourite and Toowoomba’s own Big Train have officially been added to UFC 305 in Perth on August 18.

The card will be headlined by a middleweight title fight between bitter rivals Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya, with New Zealand’s Stylebender looking to win back the 185-pound title he lost to Sean Strickland in Sydney in September.

This masthead can confirm that after weeks of negotiations, Perth’s Steve Erceg (12-2) will take on Kiwi favourite Kai Kara-France (24-11) in a crucial flyweight bout.

The 125-pound showdown will be Erceg’s first since his heartbreaking title fight defeat to Alexandre Pantoja in May, and is Kara-France’s first fight since a controversial June 2023 decision defeat to Amir Albazi.

Erceg was agonisingly close to winning the UFC’s flyweight title. Picture: Alexandre Loureiro/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Kara-France’s loss to Albazi came a week before Erceg’s UFC debut, making the Perth fighter’s phenomenal rise to a title shot even more incredible.

The bout was rumoured to be drafted in as the new co-main event after Alex Pereira’s light-heavyweight title fight with Jiri Prochazka was moved from Perth to UFC 303 in Las Vegas.

However, the UFC is looking into adding another fight which will be the co-main event in Perth.

Kara-France is one of New Zealand’s most beloved UFC fighters and moonlights as a wrestling coach for the Warriors in his spare time.

Kai Kara-France has long been a fan-favourite. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Elsewhere, Tai Tuivasa (15-7) is confirmed for a heavyweight slugfest with fellow knockout artist Jairzinho Rozenstruik (14-5).

Tuivasa is in desperate need of a victory, having lost his last four bouts since his Fight of the Night defeat to Cyril Gane in September 2022.

Brisbane heavyweight Junior Tafa (5-2) is also back in action with a three-rounder against Valter ‘The Clean Monster’ Walker (11-1).

Tafa became a huge crowd favourite in February when he stepped in on just 36 hours’ notice to replace his older brother, Justin, at UFC 297 in Anaheim.

Tai Tuivasa is still hugely popular despite a run of losses. Picture: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Junior Tafa’s fight camp for UFC 297 in February consisted of 10 push-ups in the hotel lobby. Picture: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

After suffering a gruesome dislocated elbow at UFC 293 in Sydney last year, Melbourne cult hero Jack ‘Pharjack’ Jenkins (12-3) returns to the Octagon in a featherweight grudge match with Gavin Tucker (13-3).

A horse race-loving punter from Bacchus Marsh, Jenkins was pulling pints at the local pub until just a few years ago, and spent his first paycheck for a professional fight on “a $50 Flemington quaddie, a round of Carlton Draughts for the boys, and a pair of new boxing gloves.”

The 29-year-old burst onto the scene with a bloody, one-sided win on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022, but has been recovering from his awful dislocated elbow since September.

Jack Jenkins makes his comeback. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

After UFC 293 in Sydney last year went ahead without a single female fight, ‘King’ Casey O’Neill (9-2) has also been added to UFC 305.

Born in Scotland, raised on the Gold Coast and now based in Las Vegas, O’Neill is the daughter of Eternal MMA head honcho Cam O’Neill and is also looking to come back from a loss in her last outing.

O’Neill returned in December in near-record time from a busted ACL, but was submitted in the second round by Ariane Lipski at UFC 296.

She fights Tereza Bleda (7-1) in an intriguing flyweight bout.

‘King’ Casey O’Neill will fight in Australia for the first time since 2020. Picture: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Toowoomba hero Tom ‘Big Train’ Nolan (7-1) is on the card too, and is looking to add to his impressive first UFC win in May.

One of Australia’s hottest rising prospects, Nolan bounced back from a shock first round defeat in January to stop Victor Martinez in his second outing.

Having caught the eye of UFC president Dana White during his Contender Series appearance last year, Nolan called for a spot on UFC 305 following his decisive stoppage of Martinez two months ago.

Toowoomba’s Tom ‘Big Train’ Nolan. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Josh Culibao can break a two-fight losing streak. Picture: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Sydney’s Josh ‘Kuya’ Culibao (11-3-1) can get back in the winner’s circle with a featherweight fight against Ricardo Ramos (16-6).

Culibao is on a two fight skid, most recently dropping a split decision to Danny Silva in Las Vegas in March.

Tickets for UFC 305 go on sale to the general public from 12pm AWST / 2pm AEST Friday, July 5 via Ticketek.

Fans wanting to get in early to secure their spot can book travel packages this week via Sportsnet. To stay up to date with all bout and ticketing information, fans can register their interest at ufc.com/Perth.