UFC 312 Full Event Recap: Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2
UFC 312 took place on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. The event featured two highly anticipated title fights, including a rematch for the Middleweight Championship between Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland, as well as a Strawweight Championship showdown between Zhang Weili and Tatiana Suarez.
Main Event: Middleweight Championship – Dricus du Plessis (c) vs. Sean Strickland
Winner: Dricus du Plessis via Unanimous Decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
Dricus du Plessis defended his UFC Middleweight Championship against Sean Strickland in a five-round war. This fight was a rematch from their first encounter at UFC 297 in January 2024, where du Plessis won the title via split decision.
In this bout, du Plessis used his relentless pressure, grappling, and striking combinations to outwork Strickland. Strickland had moments of success with his sharp jab and counterpunching, but du Plessis' forward aggression and clinch control helped him secure the decision victory. With this win, du Plessis retained his title and extended his winning streak in the division.
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Co-Main Event: Women's Strawweight Championship – Zhang Weili (c) vs. Tatiana Suarez
Winner: Zhang Weili via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45)
Zhang Weili put on a dominant performance against Tatiana Suarez, defending her UFC Women's Strawweight Championship with a unanimous decision victory. Weili's striking volume, takedown defense, and endurance proved too much for Suarez, who struggled to impose her grappling-heavy style.
Despite some early success in the clinch, Suarez was unable to take Weili down consistently. Weili controlled the fight with powerful leg kicks, fast combinations, and counterstrikes, ultimately securing the victory and continuing her reign as champion.
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Other Notable Fights on the Main Card
Heavyweight Bout: Justin Tafa vs. Tallison Teixeira
Winner: Tallison Teixeira via TKO (Round 1, 2:31)
Teixeira made a huge statement in his UFC debut by stopping Australian powerhouse Justin Tafa in the first round. Teixeira landed a powerful right hand that rocked Tafa, following up with heavy ground-and-pound until the referee stopped the fight.
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Light Heavyweight Bout: Jimmy Crute vs. Rodolfo Bellato
Result: Majority Draw (29-28, 28-28, 28-28)
Australian fighter Jimmy Crute and Rodolfo Bellato battled in a closely contested light heavyweight fight, ending in a majority draw. Crute started strong, landing effective strikes and takedowns, but Bellato rallied in the later rounds with his aggressive striking and ground control, leading to a draw on the judges' scorecards.
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Welterweight Bout: Jake Matthews vs. Francisco Prado
Winner: Jake Matthews via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Jake Matthews put on a well-rounded performance against Francisco Prado, using his technical striking and grappling to secure a unanimous decision victory. Matthews controlled the pace, landed clean combinations, and avoided Prado's power punches to win decisively.
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Preliminary Card Highlights
Lightweight Bout: Quillan Salkilld vs. Alex Reyes
Winner: Quillan Salkilld via KO (Round 1, 0:19)
Australian prospect Quillan Salkilld delivered one of the fastest knockouts of the night, finishing Alex Reyes in just 19 seconds with a devastating right hand. The quick knockout had the Sydney crowd on its feet.
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Bantamweight Bout: Cameron Saaiman vs. Raul Rosas Jr.
Winner: Cameron Saaiman via TKO (Round 2, 3:45)
South African prospect Cameron Saaiman stopped Raul Rosas Jr. with a brutal TKO in the second round. After a competitive first round, Saaiman's relentless pace and striking overwhelmed Rosas Jr., forcing the referee to step in.
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Conclusion & Takeaways from UFC 312
Dricus du Plessis proves he’s the real deal by defeating Sean Strickland again and solidifying his UFC Middleweight Championship reign.
Zhang Weili continues to dominate the strawweight division, defending her title against a tough Tatiana Suarez.
Tallison Teixeira makes an impressive debut in the heavyweight division.
Quillan Salkilld steals the show with a 19-second knockout, marking himself as a future prospect to watch.
UFC 312 delivered exciting fights, a passionate Australian crowd, and strong performances from both champions. The event sets up interesting matchups for the future, with du Plessis possibly facing Israel Adesanya or Khamzat Chimae
v next, while Weili might defend her title against Yan Xiaonan or Lemos vs. Dern winner.
