Li Jingliang returns at UFC 305, faces Carlos Prates

Li Jingliang will finally re-enter the octagon after a long recovery process to face surging welterweight Carlos Prates at UFC 305 on Aug. 17 in Perth, Australia. Multiple people with knowledge of the booking confirmed the news to MMA Fighting after a report from UFC partner Weibo.

Jingliang (19-8) hasn’t fought since September 2022, when he was pulled from a planned match versus Tony Ferguson to face Daniel Rodriguez instead, losing a controversial split decision. The Chinese talent was then slated to fight Michael Chiesa next in April 2023 but suffered a spine injury that kept him out of action since.

Prates (19-6) improved to 2-0 in the UFC with a knockout over Charles Radtke in June, pocketing Performance of the Night bonuses for both first-round finishes wins, and voiced his interest in competing in Perth next for the chance to visit his daughter, who lives in Australia.

UFC 305 airs live on pay-per-view with a championship showdown between middleweight king Dricus Du Plessis and ex-champion Israel Adesanya in the main event. The co-main event features one-time flyweight title contender Steve Erceg in a Australia vs, New Zealand battle against Kai Kara-France.

Damon Martin contributed to this report.