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In a commanding display at UFC 319 in Chicago, undefeated Khamzat Chimaev dethroned middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis to claim the UFC middleweight title.
The bout, held at the United Center, was Du Plessis’ third title defense following victories over Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland, and demonstrated Chimaev’s relentless wrestling dominance inside the Octagon.
Khamzat Chimaev has defeated Driscus Du Plessis via UNANIMOUS DECISION to become the new Middleweight world Champion of the world 🏆 pic.twitter.com/5NK1gtNL2N
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 17, 2025
Both fighters stepped into the cage with confidence, Du Plessis riding an 11-fight win streak and Chimaev undefeated at 14-0. From the opening bell, Chimaev set the tone, shooting in for a takedown seconds into round one. He immediately transitioned to side control and secured a crucifix, delivering multiple short punches while controlling Du Plessis on the canvas. Despite attempts to buck Chimaev off and work toward the fence, Du Plessis spent nearly the entire round pinned, only briefly escaping Chimaev’s back control before being returned to the mat.
Round two saw a similar pattern, with Chimaev taking Du Plessis down early. Chimaev controlled from the back, delivering knee strikes to Du Plessis’ body while fishing for a rear-naked choke with two minutes remaining. Du Plessis attempted to counter with blocked strikes, including a head kick, but could not prevent Chimaev from maintaining dominance. Judges scored the first two rounds heavily in favor of the challenger.
In round three, Chimaev continued to dictate the fight, taking Du Plessis down once more and trapping him in another crucifix. While landing low-impact shots, Chimaev caused visible damage near Du Plessis’ right eye. A late scramble allowed Du Plessis to briefly reverse the position, but Chimaev quickly regained control, taking his back and maintaining top dominance.
Rounds four and five were more or less the same, with Chimaev securing multiple takedowns, totaling at least seven across the fight, and controlling Du Plessis from side control and back positions. Despite a brief reversal and guillotine attempt from Du Plessis in round five, Chimaev remained firmly in control, earning the unanimous decision victory. The fight featured minimal significant damage but showcased Chimaev’s superior wrestling and positional dominance over the reigning champion.
Chimaev’s win ended Du Plessis’ run as middleweight champion, who had held the belt since UFC 297 in January 2024.
All three judges scored the fight for Khamzat Chimaev via unanimous decision, with each scorecard reading 50-44.
