The middleweight title is on the line in the main event of UFC 312 tonight, as Dricus Du Plessis defends the belt against Sean Strickland, a year after dethroning the controversial American.
With his narrow victory over Strickland, Du Plessis became South Africa’s first UFC champion, and he consolidated his reign with a submission of former title holder Israel Adesanya in August.
Meanwhile, Strickland bounced back with a points win over Paulo Costa in June, setting up this rematch with Du Plessis in Sydney, Australia – a country whose gun laws and ‘lack of freedom’ were the subject of a tirade by Strickland this week.
The challenger, who has denied he is battling a staph infection, faces Du Plessis after Tatiana Suarez fights Zhang Weili in tonight’s co-main event. Suarez, a teammate of Strickland, will try to end Zhang’s second reign with the strawweight belt.
Follow live updates and results from the UFC 312 main card and prelims:
UFC 312 LIVE: Jake Matthews vs Francisco Prado
Jake Matthews vs Francisco Prado gets the main card up and running, as the Australian and American meet at 170lb.
Alex Pattle9 February 2025 03:14
UFC 312 LIVE: Main card begins!
Okay, onto the main card! Here’s how it looks, from first. fight to last:
Jake Matthews vs Francisco Prado (welterweight)
Justin Tafa vs Tallison Teixeira (heavyweight)
Jimmy Crute vs Rodolfo Bellato (light-heavyweight)
Zhang Weili (C) vs Tatiana Suarez (women’s strawweight title)
Dricus Du Plessis (C) vs Sean Strickland 2 (middleweight title)
‘C’ denotes champion.
UFC 312 LIVE: Gabriel Santos submits Jack Jenkins
OH! A front kick to the face rocks Jenkins, and Santos pounces by taking down the Aussie!
He takes the back and seeks a rear naked choke… Jenkins stands and defends; he must be quite lucid now.
Eventually Santos is able to drag down Jenkins and sink in the choke, and he forces the tap!!
Gabriel Santos def. Jack Jenkins via third-round submission (rear naked choke, 2:06).
UFC 312 LIVE: Jack Jenkins vs Gabriel Santos
Harsh body kick by Jenkins. Santos fires back with nice variety. Good uppercut from Jenkins. This feels precarious for both men…
Jenkins shoots for a double-leg from range, but Santos denies him the takedown and gets one of his own.
He has half-guard and is thinking about an arm-triangle choke. It’s not there, but Santos lands a big left hand from above.
More strikes land for Santos, but he slows down, and he’s warned by the ref to “stay busy”.
Alex Pattle9 February 2025 02:54
UFC 312 LIVE: Jack Jenkins vs Gabriel Santos
Solid body kick by Jenkins. Santos barely misses with a counter southpaw cross.
OH! A head kick drops Santos! Jenkins dives into his guard and fires off punches!
Santos is doing well to survive, and he’s even attacking a triangle choke… He has the UFC’s greatest-ever submission artist, Charles Oliveira, in his corner…
But Santos can’t finish the sub! Jenkins scrambles, the featherweights stand, and Jenkins holds Santos against the fence.
Great takedown by Santos, though, on the Aussie, after the pair move off the fence.
Alex Pattle9 February 2025 02:47
UFC 312 LIVE: Tom Nolan outpoints Viacheslav Borshchev, Jack Jenkins faces Gabriel Santos
Tom Nolan def. Viacheslav Borshchev via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).
Another fair result, before we drop down to the featherweight division for Jack Jenkins vs Gabriel Santos.
UFC 312 LIVE: Wang Cong sees off Bruna Brasil, Tom Nolan fights Viacheslav Borshchev
Wang Cong def. Bruna Brasil via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Next up is a lightweight bout between Tom Nolan and Viacheslav Borshchev.
Alex Pattle9 February 2025 02:05
UFC 312 LIVE: Aleksandre Topuria beats Colby Thicknesse, Wang Cong faces Bruna Brasil
Aleksandre Topuria def. Colby Thicknesse via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
The right result, never in doubt.
Next, to the women’s flyweight division, where Wang Cong fights Bruna Brasil.
Alex Pattle9 February 2025 01:35
UFC 312 LIVE: Colby Thicknesse vs Aleksandre Topuria
Between rounds, Volkanovski nearly takes a sip of Thicknesse’s water, before remembering to offer him the bottle. Ha!
Final round under way. Good body kick by Thicknesse, who then sees another takedown attempt denied. He’s now in turtle position, with Topuria on his back.
Thicknesse stands and gets to the fence. Topuria is still on his back, and it looks like he’s considering another German suplex…
Thicknesse frees himself and gets off the fence, to the sound of cheers. He lands another right hand, but another grappling exchange ensues, where Topuria is able to escape a Kimura and a triangle.
Topuria controls Thicknesse as they reach the final minute of the fight. Thicknesse stands and tries to roll, but to no avail. Topuria fires off shots from above, while Thicknesse tries to attack an armbar. Buzzer sounds!
Alex Pattle9 February 2025 01:31
UFC 312 LIVE: Colby Thicknesse vs Aleksandre Topuria
Good head movement from Topuria to evade a series of straight punches. Clean jab by Topuria, then an uppercut at close range.
Topuria with a pair of hard low kicks, too. Thicknesse has, at least, reversed the pressure in this round – coming forward much more than in round one.
Another mean jab by Topuria. Right cross lands for Thicknesse, and another! He switches stances back and forth.
Knee to the body by Topuria, during a brief clinch. He sprawls well, not for the first time tonight, as Thicknesse shoots for a takedown.
A better round by Thicknesse, but the striking stats still favour Topuria.