Du Plessis v Adesanya to headline UFC 305 in August

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Image caption, Du Plessis and Adesanya faced off at UFC 290 last July

Israel Adesanya will return to action in a middleweight title fight against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 on 17 August in Perth, Australia.

The New Zealander fights for the first time since losing the UFC title to Sean Strickland last September.

Du Plessis, 30, won the title in January from Strickland and defends the belt for the first time.

The South African middleweight has a long-running rivalry with Nigeria-born Adesanya. The two have exchanged unsavoury words previously.

Du Plessis has 21 wins and just two losses on his record, while Adesanya is 24-3.

Adesanya, 34, reigned as middleweight champion for three years from 2019 before losing to Alex Pereira, but regained the belt five months later.

If he beats Du Plessis, he will become the first three-time middleweight champion in UFC history.