UFC 312, held on February 8, 2025, at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, delivered a night of high-level competition, featuring two title fights and standout performances across the card.
Main Event: Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland 2
In the highly anticipated rematch, Dricus du Plessis successfully defended his middleweight title against Sean Strickland, winning via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46). Du Plessis controlled the fight with effective striking, breaking Strickland’s nose in the fourth round and securing a decisive victory. (talksport.com)
Co-Main Event: Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez
In the co-main event, Zhang Weili retained her strawweight title by defeating Tatiana Suarez via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-45). Despite being taken down early, Weili regained control and dominated the later rounds with superior striking. (mmafighting.com)
Main Card Highlights
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Heavyweight: Tallison Teixeira made a spectacular UFC debut, knocking out Justin Tafa in just 35 seconds of the first round, showcasing his knockout power. (mmamania.com)
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Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute vs. Rodolfo Bellato ended in a majority draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28), highlighting the competitiveness of both fighters. (ufc.com)
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Welterweight: Jake Matthews defeated Francisco Prado via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), demonstrating his technical skills and experience. (ufc.com)
Preliminary Card Highlights
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Featherweight: Gabriel Santos submitted Jack Jenkins via rear-naked choke at 2:06 of Round 3, showcasing his elite grappling skills. (mmafighting.com)
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Lightweight: Tom Nolan outclassed Viacheslav Borshchev, securing a dominant unanimous decision victory. (mmafighting.com)
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Bantamweight: Aleksandre Topuria, brother of UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, made a successful debut, defeating Colby Thicknesse via unanimous decision. (mmamania.com)
Performance Bonuses ($50,000 Each)
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Fight of the Night: Zhu Rong vs. Kody Steele
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Performance of the Night: Tallison Teixeira & Quillan Salkilld
UFC 312 showcased intense battles, dominant title defenses, and the emergence of new contenders, solidifying its place as one of the most exciting events of the year.