''UFC 312: du Plessis vs. Strickland 2'' was a

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...

event produced by the

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...

that took place on February 9, 2025, at the

Qudos Bank Arena The Sydney SuperDome (currently known as the Qudos Bank Arena for sponsorship reasons) is a multipurpose arena located in Sydney Olympic Park suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was completed in 1999 as part of the facilities for th ...

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

, Australia.

Background

The event marked the promotion's seventh visit to Sydney and first since

UFC 293 ''UFC 293: Adesanya vs. Strickland'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on September 10, 2023, at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. Background The event marked the promotion's s ...

in September 2023. A

UFC Middleweight Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight class ...

rematch between current champion

Dricus du Plessis Dricus du Plessis (born 14 January 1994), also known by his initials DDP, is a South African professional mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Middleweight (MMA), Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting ...

(also former KSW Welterweight Champion) and former champion

Sean Strickland Sean Thomas Strickland (born February 27, 1991) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Middleweight Champion. ...

headlined the event. The pairing previously met one year prior at

UFC 297 ''UFC 297: Strickland vs. du Plessis'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on January 20, 2024, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Background The event marked the promotion' ...

in which du Plessis captured the title by split decision. A

UFC Women's Strawweight Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight class ...

bout between current two-time champion

Zhang Weili Zhang Weili (; born August 13, 1990) is a Chinese professional mixed martial artist. She currently competes in the women's Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where she is the current and two-time UFC Women's Straww ...

and The Ultimate Fighter: Team Joanna vs. Team Cláudia strawweight winner Tatiana Suarez served as the co-main event. A light heavyweight bout between

Jimmy Crute Jimmy Crute (born 4 March 1996) is an Australian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Crute was the former Australian Hex Fight Series Light Heav ...

and

Marcin Prachnio Marcin Prachnio (born July 14, 1988) is a Polish mixed martial artist currently competing in the Light Heavyweight (MMA), Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional mixed martial artist since 2013, Prachnio h ...

was scheduled for this event. However, Prachnio withdrew from the fight for unknown reasons and was replaced by former LFA Light Heavyweight Champion Rodolfo Bellato.

Road to UFC Season 2 Road to UFC Season 2 is the 2023 cycle of Road to UFC, a mixed martial arts (MMA) event series in which top Asian MMA prospects compete to win contracts with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Background The event series features four di ...

flyweight winner Rei Tsuruya and Stewart Nicoll were scheduled to meet in a flyweight bout. However, Nicoll was forced to withdraw due to an injury and the bout was cancelled. A bantamweight bout between promotional newcomer Aleksandre Topuria and Cody Haddon was scheduled for this event. However, Haddon withdrew from the fight due to a foot injury and was replaced by fellow newcomer Colby Thicknesse. A flyweight bout between

Road to UFC Season 1 Road to UFC Season 1 is the 2022 cycle of Road to UFC, a mixed martial arts event series in which top Asian MMA prospects compete to win contracts with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). It features four divisions—flyweight, bantamweigh ...

flyweight winner Park Hyun-sung and Nyamjargal Tumendemberel was scheduled for the event. However, the bout was canceled due to a weight management issue with Nyamjargal. During the event's broadcast, it was announced that the interim

bout that took place in April 2019 at

UFC 236 ''UFC 236: Holloway vs. Poirier 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on April 13, 2019 at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Background In the United States, per an extension of its new r ...

between

Israel Adesanya Israel Mobolaji Temitayo Odunayo Oluwafemi Owolabi Adesanya (born 22 July 1989) is a Nigerian-New Zealand professional mixed martial artist, former kickboxer and boxer. As a mixed martial artist, he currently competes in the Middleweight di ...

(who would go on to become a two-time middleweight champion) and The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen middleweight winner

Kelvin Gastelum Kelvin Gastelum (born October 24, 1991) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Gastelum earned a contract with the UFC after winning '' The ...

would be the next "fight wing"

UFC Hall of Fame The UFC Hall of Fame is a List of halls and walks of fame, hall of fame which honors mixed martial artists and MMA personalities, established and maintained by the U.S.-based mixed martial arts promotion Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). In a ...

inductee during International Fight Week festivities in Las Vegas this summer. Adesanya won the interim title via unanimous decision after a back-and-forth contest.

Results

Bonus awards

The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses. *Fight of the Night: Rong Zhu vs. Kody Steele *Performance of the Night: Tallison Teixeira and Quillan Salkilld

References

{{2025 in mixed martial arts Ultimate Fighting Championship flagship events 2025 in UFC Mixed martial arts in Australia Sports competitions in Sydney Sports competitions in New South Wales 2025 in Australian sport 2020s in Sydney February 2025 sports events in Australia

Background

Results

Bonus awards

See also

References