The Ultimate Fighting Championship is gearing up for its much-anticipated UFC 312 event this weekend, where the Middleweight Championship title will be on the line as Dricus Du Plessis defends his belt against Sean Strickland at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales, Australia.
This bout marks the second encounter between the two fighters. Du Plessis, hailing from South Africa, earned the championship title at UFC 297, narrowly defeating Strickland by split decision—a victory he will aim to replicate on February 8.
Du Plessis, who boasts an impressive career record of 22 wins and 2 losses, has established himself as one of the elite fighters in the division. Notably, he has ended 20 of those wins via knockout or submission, showcasing his potent finishing ability. Since winning the title, he successfully defended it once, forcing Israel Adesanya to tap out at UFC 305.
On the other hand, Strickland is not new to the championship spotlight. After losing the title to Du Plessis, he bounced back with a split decision victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 302 last June. Strickland's professional record stands at 29 wins and 6 losses, with 11 of those victories coming by way of knockout.
This UFC event will also feature another championship match: Zhang Weili defending her Women’s Strawweight title against Tatiana Suarez. Weili, who has previously held the championship, is entering her third title defense since reclaiming the belt. With her career record at 25-3, she has proven to be formidable, having won 19 times via knockout or submission.
Suarez, unbeaten in her professional MMA career, holds a record of 10-0 and steps back inside the octagon for the first time since her August 2023 victory over Jessica Andrade. Seven of Suarez's wins have also come by knockout or submission.
UFC 312 is set to take place on Saturday, with the preliminary bouts kicking off at 6 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+. Prelims will begin at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+, leading up to the main card fights, which are slated to start at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
Fight aficionados eager to catch the action can follow the detailed broadcast schedule:
Main Fight Card (10 p.m. ET):
- UFC Middleweight title: Dricus Du Plessis (c) vs. Sean Strickland
- UFC Women’s Strawweight title: Zhang Weili (c) vs. Tatiana Suarez
- Justin Tafa vs. Tallison Teixeira (Heavyweight)
- Jimmy Crute vs. Rodolfo Bellato (Light Heavyweight)
- Jake Matthews vs. Francisco Prado (Welterweight)
Preliminary Fights (8 p.m. ET):
- Jack Jenkins vs. Gabriel Santos (Featherweight)
- Colby Thicknesse vs. Aleksandre Topuria (Bantamweight)
- Tom Nolan vs. Viacheslav Borshchev (Lightweight)
- Wang Cong vs. Bruna Brasil (Women’s Flyweight)
Early Preliminary Fights (6 p.m. ET):
- Hyun Sung Park vs. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel (Flyweight)
- Quillan Salkilld vs. Anshul Jubli (Lightweight)
- Jonathan Micallef vs. Kevin Jousset (Welterweight)
The excitement around UFC 312 is palpable, with fight fans anticipating not only the championship clashes but also the potential for thrilling finishes and high-stakes drama. With two championship titles on the line and fighters eager to cement their legacies, UFC 312 promises to deliver action-packed bouts this Saturday night.