UFC 319
 |
Dricus Du Plessis Khamzat Chimaev
23 – 3 – 0 15 – 0 – 0
|
 |
|---|
Khamzat Chimaev Crowned UFC Middleweight Champion at UFC 319
On August 16, 2025, UFC 319: Du Plessis vs. Chimaev took place at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. In the main event, undefeated contender Khamzat Chimaev challenged reigning middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis for the UFC title.
Chimaev delivered a masterclass in grappling dominance and control, landing 12 takedowns, accumulating over 21 minutes of top control, and overwhelming Du Plessis with over 500 total strikes. The judges rendered a unanimous decision, with identical scores of 50–44 across the board, crowning Chimaev the new UFC middleweight champion s.
Chimaev’s win also propelled him into the top five of the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings, moving him up 10 spots to No. 4.
Beyond the championship bout, UFC 319 was packed with exciting performances:
Lerone Murphy knocked out Aaron Pico with a spinning back-elbow in the co-main event and earned a Performance of the Night bonus .
Carlos Prates delivered a spinning back-elbow KO over Geoff Neal, also earning a Performance of the Night and drawing attention with his unconventional post-fight celebration.
Tim Elliott scored a guillotine choke submission over Kai Asakura, similarly receiving a Performance of the Night bonus. Other noteworthy results from the main card include: Michael “Venom” Page edged out Jared Cannonier by unanimous decision.
UFC 319: Du Plessis vs Chimaev takes place at the United Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States and will stream live in Australia on Sunday 17th August from 12pm AEST.
Dricus Du Plessis is set to face Khamzat Chimaev in the early hours of Sunday morning as he aims to defend his middleweight championship.
The South African champion is chasing a third straight title defence, having held the belt since 2024.
Chimaev steps in as the latest challenger to try and dethrone him. The 31-year-old boasts an unbeaten record of 14 wins and is coming off a devastating first-round knockout of Robert Whittaker, in which he broke the former champion’s jaw.
For Chimaev, this is a long-awaited opportunity at UFC gold, with previous chances stalled by illness and injury over the past two years.
However, overcoming Du Plessis will be no easy task — the titleholder’s unorthodox fighting style is known to cause problems for even the most dangerous opponents.
Fight Card Breakdown
Main Event
Dricus du Plessis (c) vs. Khamzat Chimaev — Middleweight title bout, scheduled for 5 rounds
Main Card Highlights
Lerone Murphy vs. Aaron Pico (Featherweight)—Pico makes his highly anticipated UFC debut
Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates (Welterweight)—a knock-out heavy matchup
Jared Cannonier vs. Michael “Venom” Page (MVP) (Middleweight)—classic striker vs. power matchup Tim Elliott vs. Kai Asakura (Flyweight)
Late Prelims
Gerald Meerschaert vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk
Jessica Andrade vs. Lupita “Loopy” Godinez (Strawweight)
Alexander Hernandez vs. Chase Hooper
Edson Barboza vs. Drakkar Klose
Early Prelims
Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Bryan Battle
Karine Silva vs. JJ Aldrich (Women’s Flyweight)
Baysangur Susurkaev vs. Eric Nolan—added after tw Alibi Idiris vs. Joseph Morales
Odds at a Glance (Moneyline)
Based on multiple betting sources:
Chimaev: ~–265 (strong favorite)
Du Plessis: ~+200 (underdog)
