South Africa will be well-represented at the much-anticipated UFC 285, where legendary MMA fighter Jon Jones will be marking his official return to the octagon.
UFC 285: These South African MMA fighters are on the cards
In what’s touted as one of the most exciting cards in mixed martial arts, South African contestants Cameron Saaiman and Dricus Du Plessis will wear the flag on their shoulders when they step into the octagon to vie for victory against what many experts consider tough opposition.
Cameron Saaiman faces Mana Martinez in the early prelims
Cameron Saaiman, a 22-year-old Pretoria native, will aim to move up the ranks of the UFC’s Bantamweight class when he goes up against a more experienced opponent in Mana Martinez.
Not only does Martinez have more wins under his belt with a 10-3 (wins-losses) record, but the Texas-born fighter ranks 18 places higher than Saaiman on the World’s Best Bantamweight list.
However, Saaiman edges Martinez with his streak of 7-0 pro-MMA wins. five of which were knockouts. In his last fight against Steven Koslow in December 2022, Saaiman won by standing TKO in the third round.
Cameron Saaiman will face Mana Martinez at the UFC 285 early prelims held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, US, in the wee hours of Sunday, 5 March 2023.
The early prelims will not be broadcast live in South Africa. However, you can check back closer to the time to tune into the Mana Martinez vs Cameron Saaiman live stream below.
In the meantime, check out our review of UFC 285: Geoff Neal vs Shavkat Rakhmonov and below and don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast:
UFC 285 Prelims: Dricus du Plessis vs Derek Brunson
Dricus du Plessis will represent South Africa in the octagon when he goes up against the American Middleweight veteran Derek Brunson in the UFC 285 Prelims, on Sunday.
Heading into what promises to be an exciting bout, Du Plessis carries an impressive 18-2 record, but he will be well aware of Brunson’s experience and reach advantage.
Also, the American carries a bigger threat with 52% of his 23-8 win record secured by TKO, compared to the South African’s 39%.
However, Du Plessis’ strategy leans more toward submission and this is supported by the fact that 56% of his victories were tap-outs.
The exciting fixture will serve as the prequel to the UFC 285 main bout between Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane and will be broadcast live in South Africa on DStv’s channel 210 from 03:00 on Sunday, 5 March 2023.
You can also check back closer to the time to tune into the Derek Brunson vs Dricus du Plessis live stream.
In the meantime, check out our review of UFC 285: Geoff Neal vs Shavkat Rakhmonov and below and don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast: