UFC 305 predictions: Will Dricus Du Plessis or Israel Adesanya leave Perth as champ?

The UFC is back in Western Australia this week with a middleweight title grudge match at the top of the bill.

UFC 305 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) takes place Saturday (Sunday in Australia) at RAC Arena in Perth.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid for the main card in a separate window.)

Get main card pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.

Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates

Records: Jingliang (19-8 MMA, 11-6 UFC), Prates (19-6 MMA, 2-0 UFC)

Past five: Jingliang 2-3, Calos Prates 5-0

Division: Welterweight

Rankings: None

Odds (as of 08.17.24): Jingliang +280, Calos Prates -355

Junkie pick results: Prates 7, Jingliang 4

Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Tai Tuivasa

Records: Rozenstruik (14-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC), Tuivasa (15-7 MMA, 8-7 UFC)

Past five: Rozenstruik 2-3, Tuivasa 1-4

Division: Heavyweight

Rankings: Tuivasa No. 10, Rozenstruik No. 15

Odds (as of 08.17.24): Rozenstruik -230, Tuivasa +190

Junkie pick results: Rozenstruik 9, Tuivasa 2

Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker

Records: Gamrot (24-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC), Hooker (23-12 MMA, 13-8 UFC)

Past five: Gamrot 4-1, Hooker 3-2

Division: Lightweight

Rankings: Gamrot No. 6, Hooker No. 15

Odds (as of 08.17.24): Gamrot -355, Hooker +280

Junkie pick results: Gamrot 11, Hooker 0

Steve Erceg vs. Kai Kara-France

Records: Erceg (12-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC), Kara-France (24-11 MMA, 7-4 UFC)

Past five: Erceg 4-1, Kara-France 3-2

Division: Flyweight

Rankings: Kara-France No. 10, Erceg No. 12

Odds (as of 08.17.24): Erceg -185, Kara-France +155

Junkie pick results: Erceg 10, Kara-France 1

Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

Records: Du Plessis (21-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC), Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC)

Past five: Du Plessis 5-0, Adesanya 2-3

Division: Middleweight

Rankings: Du Plessis No. 1, No. 9 pound-for-pound; Adesanya No. 2, honorable mention pound-for-pound

Odds (as of 08.17.24): Pick'em

Junkie pick results: Adesanya 6, Du Plessis 5

Preliminary card picks

Although they don't count toward the standings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights on the prelims. Here are the results:

• Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker: Tafa 9, Walker 2

• Josh Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos: Ramos 6, Culibao 5

• Casey O'Neill vs. Luana Santos: Santos 8, O'Neill 3

• Herbert Burns vs. Jack Jenkins: Jenkins 10, Burns 1

• Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes: Nolan 11, Reyes 0

• Ricky Glenn vs. Song Kenan: Kenan 11, Glenn0

• Jesus Aguilar vs. Stewart Nicoll: Nicoll 9, Aguilar 2

Check out all the main card picks below.

UFC 305 main card picks

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC 305.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 305 predictions: Will Dricus Du Plessis or Israel Adesanya leave Perth as champ?