Khamzat Chimaev tore the middleweight title away from Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319, dominating the South African for a decision win on Saturday.
The unbeaten Chimaev had been touted as one of the scariest prospects in mixed martial arts since his emphatic UFC debut in 2020, but illness and travel issues slowed the Russian’s march towards a title fight. On Saturday (16 August), however, Chimaev finally got his shot, and his wrestling prowess was far too much for Du Plessis, who spent the vast majority of the five rounds – 25 minutes in all – on the canvas, trying to survive.
