Adesanya's kryptonite comes from South Africa - Du Plessis defends the title

Dricus du Plessis successfully defended his UFC middleweight title on Sunday, defeating long-time rival Israel Adesanya via a fourth-round submission in a highly anticipated match at Perth Arena.

The headlining fight of UFC 305 saw du Plessis outlast the former two-time champion Adesanya before securing his title with a spectacular takedown and rear-naked choke that cemented his dominance in the 185-pound division.

Du Plessis (22-2), who now boasts a ten-fight winning streak, first claimed the title after a decisive victory over Sean Strickland in January. Speaking after the fight, du Plessis expressed his determination: "I came in here ready to lay it all on the line for this belt. I'm taking it home, still the champion."

In front of a sold-out crowd of 15,000 at Perth Arena, Adesanya (24-4) enjoyed a large share of the crowd’s support, and for much of the fight, the New Zealand-based Nigerian looked to have the upper hand. However, he ultimately succumbed to du Plessis' rear-naked choke in the fourth round.

"Of course, I'm disappointed, but I’m also proud of my performance because this is the best I’ve felt and looked in a long time," said Adesanya, who was returning to the Octagon following a surprising defeat to Sean Strickland in September. "On the night, the better man won, and I respect him for that."

Du Plessis made a grand entrance, flanked by South Africa's rugby icons Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth, while his country's national anthem echoed through the arena. The fight had been eagerly awaited after a fiery exchange of words between the two competitors in the lead-up to the event. They were originally slated to meet in Sydney last year, but du Plessis was sidelined with an injury.

The fight began cautiously, with Adesanya using his superior reach and kickboxing skills to keep du Plessis at bay. The taller Adesanya looked to counterstrike and unleashed his trademark kicks, causing du Plessis to bleed from a cut on his forehead.

Despite this, du Plessis landed a powerful left hand late in the first round, and his momentum carried into the second when he successfully executed a takedown, taking control of Adesanya's back. However, Adesanya managed to escape a submission attempt and worked his way back into the fight.

As the fourth round progressed, Adesanya's strategy of wearing down du Plessis appeared to be paying off as he landed several clean punches. But du Plessis found a second wind, delivering a crushing blow that staggered Adesanya before closing the fight with a rear-naked choke.