UFC 319: Chimaev dominates Du Plessis to win middleweight championship

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Khamzat Chimaev overpowers rubric holder Dricus Du Plessis successful a lopsided UFC rubric bout successful the Octagon.

Published On 17 Aug 2025

Khamzat Chimaev is the caller undisputed UFC middleweight champion aft a ascendant show against rubric holder Dricus Du Plessis astatine the United Center successful Chicago.

Billed arsenic a conflict betwixt the undefeated UFC middleweights, Du Plessis enactment his loop connected the enactment for the 3rd clip connected Saturday against Chimaev, the No 3-ranked contender and considered 1 of the astir feared pound-for-pound fighters connected the UFC roster.

But Chimaev was successful power of the bout from the opening until the extremity successful 1 of the astir one-sided rubric fights successful UFC history; each 3 judges scored the bout 50-44 for the Chechen fighter, who holds dual Russian and United Arab Emirates citizenship.

“I americium happy, always,” Chimaev said post-fight. “I ne'er person a crippled plan, conscionable spell successful and enactment similar I bash successful the gym. That feline [Du Plessis] is strong. I couldn’t finish. I respect that guy. He is the lone champion that would accidental my name. This feline has large heart.”

The triumph extends Chimaev’s unbeaten UFC triumph streak to 15. Du Plessis experienced his archetypal UFC nonaccomplishment and drops to 23-3 for his mixed martial arts (MMA) career.

Chimaev, who archetypal entered UFC successful 2020 and has antecedently defeated erstwhile champions Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker, was seldom threatened against Du Plessis, and contempt being denied a decorativeness by the South African helium relentlessly took down the defending champion successful the opening infinitesimal of each round.

The 31-year-old converted 12 of 17 takedown attempts successful the bout and spent 84% of the 25-minute combat successful power of Du Plessis, according to authoritative UFC lucifer data.

Du Plessis’s lone infinitesimal to signifier a come-from-behind triumph came successful the last circular erstwhile helium spun his mode connected apical of his tiring hostile and executed a guillotine. Unfortunately for the reigning champion, the choke lone lasted a mates of seconds arsenic Chimaev methodically fought his mode retired and again resumed his power of the combat until the last bell.

“The antheral has unthinkable power connected top,” Du Plessis said. “It wasn’t a substance of strength; it wasn’t physical; it was astir similar helium knew what your adjacent determination was. I could astir sensation that triumph [with the guillotine choke hold], but helium bushed maine just and square. He was the amended antheral tonight. I’ll beryllium coming to get my loop back, but for now, it’s his. He deserves it.”