Middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis puts belt on the line against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319
August 15, 2025
Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis will put his belt on the line for the third time against one of the most feared pound-for-pound fighters on the UFC roster. Du Plessis (23-2) will face Khamzat Chimaev (14-0) at a sold-out United Center on Saturday night at UFC 319 as the event returns to Chicago for the first time in more than six years. Chimaev quickly gained UFC lore when he joined the organization in 2020 and secured three finishes in 66 days. However, Chimaev struggled with illness and became less active. UFC president Dana White says “this is one of the best fights we’ve had in a long time.”