Khamzat Chimaev’s Next Fight: Undefeated mixed martial artist Khamzat Chimaev will challenge middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis for the UFC title on August 16 at UFC 319 in Chicago. The event takes place at the United Center and marks Chimaev’s first bout of 2025.
Khamzat Chimaev’s Next Fight
The championship bout serves as the main event of UFC 319, with the main card scheduled to begin at 10 PM ET. Chimaev enters the fight as the betting favorite at -220, while du Plessis holds +180 odds. Both fighters are 31 years old and bring undefeated records in their recent UFC campaigns.
Chimaev’s Path to the Title Shot
Chimaev earned his title opportunity following a dominant first-round submission victory over former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October 2024. The Russian fighter applied a face crank that forced Whittaker to tap at 3:34 of the first round, with reports indicating the submission caused damage to Whittaker’s jaw.
The victory extended Chimaev’s perfect professional record to 14-0, with his UFC mark standing at 8-0. His UFC career has been remarkable for its efficiency, with six of his eight Octagon victories ending in the first round. Chimaev holds four Performance of the Night bonuses and has accumulated just 48 minutes and 41 seconds of total fight time across his eight UFC appearances.
Championship Context
Du Plessis captured the middleweight title from Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in January 2024 and has successfully defended it twice. His title defenses came against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, where he became the first fighter to submit the former champion, and a rematch victory over Strickland at UFC 312.
The South African champion represents the 15th person to hold the UFC middleweight title in the division’s history. A victory over Chimaev would make du Plessis just the fourth middleweight champion to achieve three title defenses, joining Anderson Silva, Israel Adesanya, and Chris Weidman.
Fight Card and Broadcast Information
The UFC 319 main card will be available on ESPN+ pay-per-view, with preliminary fights airing on ESPN. The co-main event features featherweight contenders Lerone Murphy and Aaron Pico, with Pico making his UFC debut.
Additional main card fights include Geoff Neal versus Carlos Prates at welterweight, Jared Cannonier against Michael Page at middleweight, and Tim Elliott facing Kai Asakura at flyweight. The event marks the UFC’s eighth visit to Chicago and first since UFC 238 in June 2019.
UFC 319
For Chimaev, the fight represents the culmination of his rapid rise since joining the UFC in July 2020. The Russian-born fighter has consistently called for title opportunities, stating after his Whittaker victory that “all the champions are running” from him.
Du Plessis enters the fight seeking to establish himself among the division’s elite champions. His rise from prospect to champion has been swift, with his first UFC title shot coming just over three years after his promotional debut. The champion has shown durability and well-rounded skills across his title reign, defeating former champions and top contenders.
