UFC 312 marks the company's return to Sydney for the first time since 2023, with an stacked card with some of the best talents in Australia and around the world.
The main event sees the South African star Dricus du Plessis defending his medium weight championship belt against the open American Sean Strickland, in what promises to be a burning rematch.
In the main event, Zhang Weili in China faces Tatiana Suárez of the United States for the female straw weight championship in an elite grip battle.
For Australian fans, the night is very special, with seven Australian fighters competing on the card.
Jimmy Crute, Jake Matthews, Jack Jenkins, Tom Nolan, Colby Grosnesse, Jonathan Micallef and Quillan Salkilld will represent Australia, with the aim of making a statement in their homeland.
UFC 312: Complete preview and how to see
Dricus du Plessis will defend his title against the open American Sean Strickland in Sydney
Event details
- Date: Sunday, February 9, 2025
- Location: Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia
- Start time:
- Early Preliments: 9:00 AM AEDT
- Prelimenses: 11:00 am Aedt
- Main Card: 1:00 PM AEDT
How to see in Australia
- Main card (vision payment): Available at the main event through Kayo Sports & Foxtel
- Prelims: Look live in ESPN and Kayo Sports
- Early precedents: Transmit in UFC Fight Pass
Preview of Australian combatants
Jimmy Crute (Australia) vs. Rodolfo Bellato (Brazil) – Semipesado weight fight
Jimmy Crute is one of the many Australians who participate in UFC 312 in Sydney in Qudos Bank Arena
Jimmy Crute is a powerful striker with strong grip skills, who seeks to recover from recent setbacks. You will have to avoid the dangerous game of Bellato and use your fight to control the fight. A victory in front of its local crowd could direct it again in the semi -shed weight division.
Jake Matthews (Australia) vs. Francisco Prado (Argentina) – Welter weight bout
Jake Matthews is Australian's raw lot that will participate in Sydney
Jake Matthews is one of the most experienced UFC combatants in Australia, with a set of complete skills. His goal is to use his experience to overcome Prado, a dangerous young striker with an knocked power. An intelligent and patient approach could assure Matthews another great victory.
Jack Jenkins (Australia) vs. Gabriel Santos (Brazil) – Weight Weight Fight
Jack Jenkins will hope to take advantage of his kick skills to tear down his Brazilian opponent
Jack Jenkins is an Australian talent on the rise known for his pressure and brutal leg kicks. You will have to keep the fight against Santos, which has a strong submission game. If it controls the rhythm, Jenkins can continue your ascent in the pen weight division.
Tom Nolan (Australia) vs. Vicheslav Borshchev (Russia) – Light of light weight
Tom Nolan is one of the youngest fighters in the letter that brings a lot of reach to his attack
Tom Nolan is a young prospect with eliminatory power and a long range. In front of an experienced kickboxer in Borshchev, you must use its range and mix in grip to stay at the forefront. A victory here could put it on the radar in the stacked light division.
Colby Grosnesse (Australia) vs. Aleksandre Topuria (Georgia) – Bantamweight Bout
UFC 312 in Sydney will mark the debut of the Australian fighter Colby Grosnesse, but he hopes that it is not his last fight
Colby Grosnesse makes its UFC debut with a complete game and a solid blow. You will have to keep the fight standing to avoid the dangerous struggle of Topuria. Strong performance could mark the beginning of a promising UFC career.
Jonathan Micref (Australia) vs. Kevin Jousset (France) – World weight bout
Wait that the fight between Jonathan Micallef (left) and the Frenchman Kevin Jousset decide on the floor
Jonathan Micallef is a hard fighter who will seek to control Jousset on the floor. His key to victory is to avoid Jousset Judo releases and stay dominant in the upper position. A victory would be a great beginning for its UFC trip.
Quillan Salkilld (Australia) vs. Anshul Juvobli (India) – Light of weight
AUSSIE QUILLAN SALKILLD expects UFC 312 in Sydney to turn on his young fighting career
Quillan Salkilld brings a balanced mixture of calls and fighting in his UFC debut. You will need to use movement and precision to counteract Juvo's aggressive style. A strong sample could open doors for larger fights ahead.
Main fight: du plessis is hungry to demonstrate that it is the Apex predator of the UFC
The South African star Dricus du Plessis will seek to defend its title in Australia
At the same time, Du Plessis (22-2 MMA) secured a naked rear tone of the fourth round against Israel Adesanya in UFC 305 in Perth last August in his first defense of the title.
Two Apex predators will not rumble in the jungle, but in a cage like Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland are formed for a spicy rematch for the medium weight belt UFC in Sydney.
This is how Du Plessis sees Sunday's confrontation, with the South African hungry to retain his title more convincingly than in his anxious victory of 'currency' division over Strickland to claim the belt in Toronto 13 months ago.
The judges granted him the fight 48-47, 48-47, 47-47 despite an alleged issue of the fourth round of Du Plessis as the contentious turning point.
Instead of the UFC granting an immediate rematch, Strickland (29-6 MMA) maintained its status as a division title contender by beating Paulo Costa five months later by decision in UFC 302.
Two Apex predators will not rumble in the jungle, but in a cage like Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland are formed for a spicy rematch for the medium weight belt UFC in Sydney.
Strickland will be a hard opponent for South African and enters the fight full of trust
This is how Du Plessis sees Sunday's confrontation, with the South African hungry to retain his title more convincingly than in his anxious victory of 'currency' division over Strickland to claim the belt in Toronto 13 months ago.
The judges granted him the fight 48-47, 48-47, 47-47 despite an alleged issue of the fourth round of Du Plessis as the contentious turning point.
Instead of the UFC granting an immediate rematch, Strickland (29-6 MMA) maintained its status as a division title contender by beating Paulo Costa five months later by decision in UFC 302.
“We were lucky with the divided decision,” said Du Plessis.
'Otherwise, we would not be here now. I am very happy to have made this fight. I was asking for this fight.
'I'm looking for that end from the first bell. And if you have to go to Last Bell (in the fifth round), I will look for that knockout until the end of the fight.
Du Plessis will be the selection of betting corridors and the sentimental favorite of most fans in the Querz Bank Arena after Strickland did not work out once again with Australian fans before UFC 312.
The controversial and moody American was lucky enough to receive a visa after revealing that he had hit a fan in the stomach in Bondi during his last visit to Sydney UFC 293 in 2023.
This week he has been stirring the pot, calling Australia “communists” for the regulations and cameras governing the roads of the nation and even questioning the country's arms laws after “a mass shooting”, as he called the infamous massacre of Port Arthur of 1996.
“I would like to consider the Australians as English white garbage and even some Irish,” Strickland said this week.
“Like a American white garbage, I feel that I have a lot in common with you.”
Strickland is the only man who leads Du Plessis to a fifth round and the champion is ready for another war, even if he preferred to win more easily this time.
“I think Strickland is the best medium weight in the world at this time, and deserves to be here,” said Du Plessis.
'I know he is an incredible and incredible fighter. It is so good to the defensive. It is hard. It's hard to hit.
'And when you hit it, it does not have that effect as in a normal guy. This man is an Apex predator.
“So this is the toughest struggle of my life, and I am ready for that because I am an Apex predator and he is in my area at this time.”
Main card
- Medium Weight Championship: Dricus du Plessis (South Africa) vs. Sean Strickland (USA)
- Straw weight championship: Zhang Weili (China) vs. Tatiana Suárez (USA)
- Peuthweight Bout: Justin Tafa (New Zealand) vs. Tallison Teixeira (Brazil)
- SEMIPSED WEIGHT EXECUTION: Jimmy Crute (Australia) vs. Rodolfo Bellato (Brazil)
- Welter weight bout: Jake Matthews (Australia) vs. Francisco Prado (Argentina)
- Preliminary card
- Folm weight elevation: Jack Jenkins (Australia) vs. Gabriel Santos (Brazil)
- Light elevation: Tom Nolan (Australia) vs. VIACHESLAV BORSHCHEV (Russia)
- Fly weighing: Wang Cong (China) vs. Bruna Brazil (Brazil)
- Bantamweight Bout: Colby Grosnesse (Australia) vs. Aleksandre Topuria (Georgia)
- Early Preliminary Card
- World weight bout: Jonathan Micref (Australia) vs. Kevin Jousset (France)
- Light elevation: Kody Steele (USA) Vs. Rong Zhu (China)
- Light of lightweight: Quillan Salkilld (Australia) vs. Anshul Juvli (India)
Canceled Fight:
Execution of fly weight: Hyun Sung Park (South Korea) vs. Nyamjargal Tumendembrel (Mongolia) – canceled due to weight control problems