UFC 312 Sydney: du Plessis v Strickland, Zhang v Suarez announced

The UFC is set to make a thunderous return to Sydney next February, announcing a pair of blockbuster title fights to headline UFC 312 at Qudos Bank Arena.

South African middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis will put his belt on the line against former titleholder Sean Strickland, while Zhang Weili defends her strawweight crown against Tatiana Suarez in the co-main event.

For du Plessis, the bout represents another chapter in a historic run.

The South African made UFC history in January, becoming the promotion’s first champion from his homeland with a razor-thin split decision win over Strickland at UFC 297 in Canada.

He followed that up with a statement-making title defence in August, submitting former champ Israel Adesanya in a dominant display.

Strickland, who had been waiting patiently for his chance to reclaim the belt, now steps back into the spotlight.

While undefeated contender Khamzat Chimaev made his case with a devastating submission win over Robert Whittaker at UFC 308, UFC President Dana White confirmed Strickland remained next in line for a title shot.

The result is a high-stakes rematch with the potential for fireworks.

Meanwhile, the co-main event pits two of the division’s most formidable talents against each other.

Zhang Weili, renowned for her striking prowess and resilience, defends her title for the first time since April.

Across the octagon will be Tatiana Suarez, whose elite wrestling and submission skills make her one of the most dangerous challengers in the division.

Suarez cemented her contender status with a dominant submission win over Jessica Andrade in August, setting up this massive clash.

UFC 312 will be the promotion’s seventh trip to Sydney and promises to deliver another unforgettable night for MMA fans.

Currently none of the leading Australian bookmakers have odds released for either of these fights.

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