Du Plessis vs Chimaev at UFC 319: Middleweight Showdown for the Ages
Rumours of UFC going Netflix and the confirmation of the 2026 blockbuster White House card ruffled many non-fighting feathers, but there are plenty of punches to be made in the meantime.
On August 17, the UFC world gets to celebrate the legend in the making or crown the new middleweight champion, as Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev lock legs and fists in the UFC 319 main event. The Chechen ‘Borz’ has all the momentum in the world, but he never faced anyone of the South African champ’s calibre and style.
Drama, unpredictability, high stakes – this fight has it all. And even though unpredictability reigns, I’ll bite the bullet and pick a winner nonetheless.
UFC 319 Fight Card
- Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev
- Lerone Murphy vs. Aaron Pico
- Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates
- Jared Cannonier vs. Michael Page
- Tim Elliott vs. Kai Asakura
Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev are like two trains riding the same rails in the opposite direction. You knew they were designed for a crash, but you never knew when, where, or what it was going to look like.
Chimaev the Unstoppable
The Chechen mauler hasn’t fought on US soil in three years – something about him being buddies with the sanctioned Chechen leader Ramzan Khadirov. Chimaev believes that it was President Trump who helped lift the ban on his entry.
Be that as it may, for years now, Chimaev has been regarded as an unstoppable force destined for a shot at glory, having defeated the likes of Robert Whittaker, Kamaru Usman, and Gilbert Burns with ease. Experts agree that the undefeated fighter (14:0) has a clear skills advantage over his title rival, but if there’s one champion who can negate it, it’s DDP.
Du Plessis in Good Company
It’s not the first time Du Plessis has entered the octagon with a skills disadvantage. The South African’s unorthodox style and relentless grit have led him to the cusp of the UFC elite, timing the tempo of his career perfectly.
Du Plessis won the title in an unconvincing split-decision over Sean Strickland but hasn’t looked back since. Title defences against Adesanya and Strickland once again cemented the 25:2 fighter’s reputation. With Chimaev, he’s looking at the prospect of becoming only the fourth UFC middleweight champion to defend the belt at least three times, joining the legends like Chris Weidman (3), Israel Adesanya (5), and Anderson Silva (10).
Du Plessis vs Chimaev Prediction
Robert Whittaker, who fought and lost to both men, believes that Chimaev’s best shot is taking DDP out in the first. Taking the South African to ground and taking him out.
But if the Borz doesn’t finish his lunch then and there, Whittaker argues, Dricus will retain the title: “He’s (Du Plessis) a guy that if you don’t get rid of, he kind of wins.”
While I accept Whittaker’s reasoning on the first point, I ever-so politely disagree with the second. Sure, du Plessis’s awkward style and unconventional technique are too much to handle for most men, but I believe that the Borz has enough advantage in his mental locker not to get caught up in the win-early-or-else game that DDP plays so masterfully.
If this fight had been scheduled earlier, there’s no question who’d be the favorite, which is why it’s exciting to watch. But for me, Chimaev is good enough to win regardless.
Odds-wise, Playbet.io seems to agree, touting Chimaev as the favorite at 1.49. That’s 2.80 for winning by submission.
Elsewhere on the Card
Although it overshadows the rest of the card, the upcoming UFC event is more than just Du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev. Here’s a quick rundown of every confirmed fight on UFC 319, excluding the preliminaries.
Lerone Murphy vs Aaron Pico
The co-main event, announced three weeks before showtime, will see the former Bellator star Aaron Pico make his debut against the 34-year-old undefeated featherweight Lerone Murphy, after the former felt aggrieved that his UFC Abu Dhabi breakout bout with Movsar Evloev was scrapped at the last minute. Pico’s long-awaited UFC debut thus takes an unusual turn, from underdog against Evloev to a slight favorite; BC.Game has him at 1.67.
Geoff Neal vs Carlos Prates
In the battle of the two top-15 welterweights that they were unfortunately stripped of in April, Geoff Neal squares off with Carlos Prates. Neal enters the fight in high spirits, having previously dispatched the former UFC champion, Rafael Dos Anjos. On the other hand, Prates lost his latest fight to Ian Machado Garry to end his 11-fight winning streak. Perfectly poised, this one.
Jared Cannonier vs Michael Page
Michael ‘Venom’ Page, who, incidentally, leans towards DDP in the main event, stayed in the middleweight division for one last fight before dropping back to welter. The 38-year-old MVP will face former title challenger Jared Cannonier, who, ranked No. 8 in middleweight, reportedly isn’t too happy about sharing the octagon with an unranked fighter in his division. At 41, he wants one last title shot and fighting Page isn't going to help his cause.
Tim Elliott vs Kai Asakura
Lastly, in a fight that’s touted as Kai Asakura’s chance of getting his UFC career back on track before it even began, the 31-year-old Japanese sensation will face 38-year-old Tim Elliott. Asakura made his debut and in a title challenge no less, losing to Alexandre Pantoja in the second round by submission. Elliott, on the other hand, hasn’t fought since December 2023, and the Ybets odds of 3.45 sure reflect that.
Milos Antic
Sports Betting Expert
Milos is a sports betting professional whose special skill involves sitting through countless hours of football fixtures. He entered the sports betting arena in 2017 and hasn't looked back since. He is that guy who gets stopped and asked for a handy betting tip or two. As an in-house betting expert for CryptoGamba, Milos takes much pride when results go the way he called them while always finding a fitting excuse when they don't.
