A highly anticipated middleweight title clash is finally confirmed, as Dricus du Plessis is scheduled to defend his championship against Khamzat Chimaev.
UFC CEO Dana White announced the bout via Instagram Live on Tuesday. This championship encounter will headline UFC 319, taking place on August 16th at the United Center in Chicago. It marks the organization`s first event in the Windy City since UFC 238 back in 2019.
Dricus du Plessis has maintained an undefeated record since joining the UFC in 2020. He captured the middleweight title in 2024 with a split decision victory over Sean Strickland at UFC 297. According to the announcement source, he successfully defended the belt by submitting Israel Adesanya in the fourth round at UFC 305 last summer. His most recent reported title defense came with a unanimous decision win against Strickland in their rematch at UFC 312 in February.
Khamzat Chimaev, who burst onto the scene as a breakout star in 2020, is also undefeated in his career and has long been seen as a future UFC champion. While facing some issues with availability in recent years, Chimaev has consistently delivered electric performances when he steps into the cage. He holds eight victories within the octagon, with six of those coming by stoppage. In his most recent fight, Chimaev impressively submitted former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the first round at UFC 308, earning recognition for the 2024 Submission of the Year and solidifying his long-awaited opportunity for the title.
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