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Li Jingliang is set to make his long-awaited return to the octagon. The welterweight fighter, who has a professional record of 19-7, is scheduled to face Carlos Prates (19-6) at UFC 305. The event is slated for August 17 at RAC Arena in Perth.
A source familiar with the situation confirmed the matchup, following an initial report from UFC Weibo. The individual requested anonymity as the official announcement from the UFC has yet to be made.
Jingliang, 36, has been out of action since his split decision loss to Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 279 in September 2022. Originally set to face Tony Ferguson, a last-minute change led to a 180-pound catchweight bout against Rodriguez. Before this bout, Jingliang earned a Performance of the Night award with a TKO victory over Muslim Salikhov.
Carlos Prates, 30, enters this bout with significant momentum. After earning his UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series, Prates has secured knockout victories against Trevin Giles in February and Charlie Radtke in June. The Brazilian fighter, who called for a fight at UFC 305 in Perth where his daughter lives, is riding a nine-fight winning streak, with eight of those wins coming by way of finish.
The addition of Jingliang vs. Prates adds more excitement to an already stacked UFC 305 card. The lineup includes several high-profile matchups, with Dricus Du Plessis taking on Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title headlining the event. Other notable bouts include Steve Erceg vs. Kai Kara-France, Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Tai Tuivasa, and Justin Tafa vs. Valter Walker.
Fans are eagerly anticipating Jingliang's return, hoping to see him regain his form and continue his climb up the welterweight rankings. Meanwhile, Prates will look to extend his winning streak and make a significant statement against a seasoned veteran.
The current lineup for UFC 305 is as follows:
Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya – for the middleweight title
Steve Erceg vs. Kai Kara-France
Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Tai Tuivasa
Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates
Justin Tafa vs. Valter Walker
Josh Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos
Tereza Bleda vs. Casey O’Neill
Jack Jenkins vs. Gavin Tucker
Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes
With such an array of thrilling matchups, UFC 305 in Perth promises to be a night of explosive action and high-stakes competition.