Chimaev books first title fight vs. Du Plessis at UFC 319

A middleweight title battle between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev will headline UFC 319, UFC CEO Dana White introduced Tuesday.

The pay-per-view occasion will happen Aug. 16 at United Middle in Chicago. It would mark the UFC’s first card in Chicago since 2019.

Du Plessis (23-2), of South Africa, might be looking for his third title protection. He gained the belt in a cut up choice towards Sean Strickland in 2024 and has recorded two defenses, towards Israel Adesanya and a rematch towards Strickland. He’s on an 11-fight win streak, together with a 9-0 file within the UFC.

For Chimaev (14-0), this title battle has been a very long time coming. The Chechen contender broke onto the scene in 2020, successful his first two fights within the UFC within the span of 10 days. However he has struggled to stay energetic due to a wide range of points. In 2020, he publicly contemplated retirement due to well being points stemming from COVID-19.

The 31-year-old has been dominant when energetic. He’s coming off a first-round submission of former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in October, by which Whittaker didn’t land a single strike. He additionally holds notable wins towards Kamaru Usman, Gilbert Burns and Kevin Holland.