"The Leech" is back, with fan-favorite welterweight Li Jingliang set to make the walk for the first time in almost two years at UFC 305.
Jingliang hasn’t appeared inside the Octagon since falling short in a widely debated split decision opposite Daniel Rodriguez on the shaken-up UFC 279 card back in September 2022.
The Chinese fighter was scheduled to meet Tony Ferguson, but the changes brought about by Khamzat Chimaev’s weight miss saw him face an opponent who weighed in 10 pounds heavier in “D-Rod.”
That, along with his personality being more and more on display, saw Jingliang’s fanbase increase. Unfortunately, he’s not been able to capitalize on that with a return to the Octagon after suffering a spine injury.
Now, as first reported by UFC Weibo and confirmed by Eurosport Nederland’s Marcel Dorff, “The Leech” is finally ready to make his comeback at the upcoming UFC 305 pay-per-view in Perth, Australia, on August 17, where he’s slated to face the charging Carlos Prates.
Jingliang Out For Bounce-Back Win Against Prates At UFC 305
When Jingliang and Prates do battle Down Under, the former will be looking to return to winning ways at the expense of the fast-rising Brazilian.
Jingliang (19-8) has exchanged victories and losses since moving to a three-fight win streak in 2019. While he fell to defeats at the hands of Khamzat Chimaev and Rodriguez, he sandwiched brutal knockouts of Santiago Ponzinibbio and Muslim Salikhov between them.
If he’s to continue that trend of bouncing back, the Chinese 36-year-old must blemish the UFC record of Prates (19-6). After an emphatic performance on Dana White’s Contender Series to earn a spot on the roster, “The Nightmare” has enhanced his stock with consecutive first-round knockouts of Trevin Giles and Charles Radtke to announce his arrival.
With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 305 in Perth on August 17 are as follows:
- Dricus Du Plessis (C) vs. Israel Adesanya (middleweight championship main event)
- Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg (flyweight)
- Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (heavyweight)
- Joshua Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos (featherweight)
- Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates (welterweight)
- Casey O’Neill vs. Tereza Bledá (women’s flyweight)
- Jacob Malkoun vs. Gerald Meerschaert (middleweight)
- Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker (heavyweight)
- Jack Jenkins vs. Gavin Tucker (featherweight)
- Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes (lightweight)
