The UFC has announced its imminent return to Australia with the world’s biggest mixed martial arts promotion rocking up on Perth shores for the second time in 18 months.
“After a record-breaking event in 2023, I can’t wait to bring another massive pay-per-view to Western Australia,” UFC chief executive Dana White said.
“Perth is a world-class city with some of the most passionate fight fans I’ve ever seen – UFC 305 is going to be incredible!”
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UFC 305 in Australia: Date and venue revealed for Perth return
The UFC will take over Down Under once again with the PPV event scheduled for Sunday, August 18 at RAC Arena.
UFC 305 will form part of a multi-year partnership which will see the promotion link up with the Western Australian Government through Tourism Western Australia to deliver to major events in WA.
“Under the new agreement, UFC will also work closely with Tourism WA to bring one additional event to Perth featuring an exciting UFC Fight Night,” the company noted in a press release.
The landmark August event will mark the third time the UFC has headed to Perth, with UFC 221: Romero vs. Rockhold kicking off proceedings in 2018, before last February’s UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski brought the house down.
“The return of UFC to Perth in 2024 is a major coup for Western Australia, following the roaring success of UFC 284 that injected millions into our economy last year,” Premier Roger Cook said.
“We are very excited to once again be hosting UFC at RAC Arena, and we expect UFC 305 to be another major success for WA’s tourism and hospitality industry,” Deputy Premier and Tourism Minister, Rita Saffioti, added.
UFC 305: Who is fighting in Perth?
So far, two fights have been confirmed for UFC 305 in Perth:
- Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes; lightweight
- Casey O’Neill vs. Tereza Bleda; flyweight
Hometown hero Jack Della Maddalena – who defeated Randy Brown via a second-round submission the last time the UFC came to Perth – seemed a certainty before an infection stemming from surgery ruled him out.
The welterweight title contender, who finished Gilbert Burns in his most recent bout, fell ill following surgery on the wrist he fractured in that victory.
Recent flyweight title challenger and Perth local Steve Erceg has put his hand to fight in front of a home crowd following his decision loss to Alexandre Pantoja.
No.1 UFC featherweight and former champion Alex Volkanovski has ruled himself out, targeting a return later in the year.
Robert Whittaker, who has been unfortunate to miss the previous two events in Perth despite initially being scheduled to appear on them, also won’t feature on the card.
‘The Reaper’ will instead headline an event in Saudi Arabia against Khamzat Chimaev on Saturday, June 22.
Meanwhile, a middleweight title fight against heated rivals Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya has been rumoured to be the headline bout for the Perth PPV.
How to buy UFC 305 tickets
Fans interested in attending the event can register at www.ufc.com/perth to access pre-sale tickets and receive all the latest information ahead of UFC 305.
