UFC 319: Du Plessis vs. Chimaev | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Dana Black
- 1 hour ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC 319: Du Plessis vs. Chimaev took place on Saturday, August 16, 2025 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Khamzat Chimaev defeated Dricus du Plessis via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-44) to become the new UFC middleweight champion in one of the most one-sided championship performances in UFC history. The card produced an estimated 800,000 pay-per-view buys.
Chimaev was on the canvas on top of du Plessis within seven seconds of the opening bell. He converted 12 of 17 takedown attempts and spent 84% of the 25-minute fight controlling du Plessis — 21 minutes and 40 seconds of ground control in a 25-minute championship fight. The 50-44 scorecards — unanimous across all three judges — reflected a performance so dominant that the only discussion was why the judges didn't award more 10-8 rounds. Du Plessis showed heart throughout, mounting a Hail Mary attack in round five that almost produced a guillotine, but it was not enough. The card was also memorable for back-to-back spinning back elbow KOs in the first round: Lerone Murphy over Aaron Pico and Carlos Prates over Geoff Neal.
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, August 16, 2025
📍 Venue: United Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
📺 PPV Buys: ~800,000
🏆 Main Event: Dricus du Plessis (c) vs. Khamzat Chimaev — UFC Middleweight Championship (185 lbs)
✅ Result: Chimaev def. Du Plessis via Unanimous Decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-44)
🥇 Co-Main (featured): Lerone Murphy def. Aaron Pico via KO (spinning back elbow) — R1, 3:21 — Featherweight
The Build-Up
Khamzat Chimaev had been the most anticipated unbooked title fight in the middleweight division since his 2022 comeback. He had beaten former champions Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker on his way to the title shot. Du Plessis had defended the title against Adesanya (at UFC 305) and Strickland (at UFC 312). Chimaev was -190; Du Plessis was +155. The Chicago crowd was vocal but ultimately helpless as Chimaev executed the most one-sided championship performance in the UFC middleweight division's modern era.
Main Event: Du Plessis vs. Chimaev
Seven seconds. That was how long it took Chimaev to get du Plessis on the canvas in round one. He shot immediately, secured a takedown to mounted crucifix, and established control that du Plessis could not break for the remainder of the round. Round two was identical: immediate attack, takedown, sustained ground control. The Chicago crowd booed Chimaev's grappling game; he paid no attention.
Du Plessis's best moment came in round five — he scrambled free, got on Chimaev's back, and threatened briefly with a rear-naked choke attempt that had the crowd on its feet. Chimaev slipped out, the fight ended, and all three judges had it 50-44. 12 takedowns from 17 attempts. 21 minutes 40 seconds of ground control in a 25-minute fight. 529-45 total strike advantage. The scorecards told the story: this was the most dominant UFC middleweight title performance since Georges St-Pierre's prime.
Full Results
Main Card (Pay-Per-View)
Khamzat Chimaev def. Dricus du Plessis (c) — Unanimous Decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-44) — Middleweight Title
Lerone Murphy def. Aaron Pico — KO (spinning back elbow) — R1, 3:21 — Featherweight
Carlos Prates def. Geoff Neal — KO (spinning back elbow) — R1, 4:59 — Welterweight
Michael Page def. Jared Cannonier — Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) — Middleweight
Tim Elliott def. Kai Asakura — Submission (guillotine) — R2, 4:39 — Flyweight
Preliminary Card
Baisangur Susurkaev def. Eric Nolan — Submission (rear-naked choke) — R2, 2:01 — Middleweight
Michal Oleksiejczuk def. Gerald Meerschaert — TKO (punches) — R1, 3:03 — Middleweight
Loopy Godinez def. Jessica Andrade — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Women's Strawweight
Alex Hernandez def. Chase Hooper — TKO (punches) — R1, 4:58 — Lightweight
Bonuses & Awards
🥇 Performance of the Night: Khamzat Chimaev — $50,000 for the 50-44 demolition of Dricus du Plessis to win the middleweight title.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Lerone Murphy — $50,000 for the picture-perfect spinning back elbow KO of Aaron Pico in the first round.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Carlos Prates — $50,000 for the spinning back elbow KO of Geoff Neal in round one.
Records & Milestones
• Chimaev's UFC record: 15-0, undefeated since his debut in 2020. The most dominant unbeaten run in UFC history.
• The 50-44 scorecards were identical across all three judges — a clean sweep of the most lopsided kind.
• 529-45 total strike advantage — one of the largest total strike differentials in any UFC championship fight.
• Du Plessis's first UFC loss. His record drops to 23-3 in MMA.
• UFC 319 featured two spinning back elbow KOs on the same card (Murphy, Prates) — an unprecedented combination on a single UFC main card.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 319 is remembered as the night Khamzat Chimaev delivered on the hype that had surrounded him since his 2020 UFC debut. The 50-44 performance was not universally celebrated — the Chicago crowd booed the grappling-heavy approach — but it was the most tactically complete UFC middleweight title performance in years. His 15-0 unbeaten record, his dual beating of former champions (Usman, Whittaker, du Plessis), and his stated ambition to chase additional divisional titles made him the most compelling future-narrative fighter of the 2025-2026 UFC era.
FAQ
Was the Chimaev performance the most dominant UFC title win of 2025?
By margin of victory, yes. The 50-44 scorecards, the 84% ground control time, and the 529-45 total strike differential make it the most statistically dominant UFC title fight of 2025. Even Topuria's R1 KO of Oliveira at UFC 317 was shorter but did not produce the same sustained dominance narrative. The crowd's negative reaction reflected a genuine stylistic preference issue rather than a quality judgement: Chimaev was operationally perfect; the problem was that "perfect" in his case meant 21+ minutes on the canvas for the other man.
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