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UFC 319 Recap: Khamzat Chimaev Dominates Dricus du Plessis to Become Middleweight Champion
Aug
Main Event Recap:
Khamzat Chimaev delivered a historically dominant performance against Dricus du Plessis, capturing the UFC middleweight title in a five-round clinic that left no room for doubt. Chimaev, now 15-0, controlled over 21 minutes of the 25-minute fight on the ground and landed 529 total strikes to du Plessis’ 45.
- Takedowns: 12 of 17 attempts
- Control Time: 21:40
- Significant Strikes: Low damage, high volume, near-total positional control
- Scorecards: All judges scored it 50-44 — one 10-8 round officially, though more could’ve been justified.
Du Plessis showed immense heart, especially with a final-round scramble that nearly led to a back-take and rear-naked choke attempt. Still, it wasn’t enough to overcome Chimaev’s wrestling onslaught, which began 7 seconds into Round 1 and never let up.
Chimaev becomes the new undisputed UFC Middleweight Champion, and possibly the most terrifying titleholder since Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Du Plessis post-fight:
“He was just like a blanket… not even strength, just… pressure and precision. I gave it everything at the end, but he was just better tonight.”
Main Card Results:
| Weight Class | Result | Method | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middleweight Title | Khamzat Chimaev def. Dricus du Plessis | Unanimous Decision (50-44 x3) | R5, 5:00 |
| Featherweight | Lerone Murphy def. Aaron Pico | KO (Spinning Back Elbow) | R1, 3:21 |
| Welterweight | Carlos Prates def. Geoff Neal | KO (Spinning Back Elbow) | R1, 4:59 |
| Middleweight | Michael Page def. Jared Cannonier | Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3) | R3, 5:00 |
| Flyweight | Tim Elliott def. Kai Asakura | Submission (Guillotine) | R2, 4:39 |
Prelims Highlights:
- Loopy Godinez scored a significant upset win over Jessica Andrade by unanimous decision.
- Michal Oleksiejczuk TKO’d Gerald Meerschaert in Round 1.
- Baisangur Susurkaev impressed with a R2 submission over Eric Nolan.
Early Prelims Notables:
- Drakkar Klose defeated Edson Barboza in a competitive decision.
- Joseph Morales pulled off a slick triangle choke submission over Alibi Idiris.
Post-Fight Notes:
- Chimaev was booed post-fight, but the disapproval from fans didn’t seem to faze him. He now stands as the new face of the middleweight division — and possibly its most feared grappler ever.
- Back-to-back spinning back elbow KOs by Prates and Murphy made for one of the most thrilling moments in UFC history.
- Carlos Prates called out Leon Edwards for a fight in Rio.
- Alexander Volkanovski responded to Lerone Murphy’s callout, teasing a future matchup.
Final Takeaway:
If Khamzat Chimaev was feared as a contender, he may be unstoppable as a champion. UFC 319 might be remembered not just as the night he took the belt — but the night a new era began.
Copy Right By Hornnastee
