UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus du Plessis steps into his next title defense facing significant pressure and high expectations. UFC CEO Dana White announced on Tuesday that du Plessis will fight the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev in the highly anticipated main event of UFC 319. The event is scheduled for August 16th in Chicago.
This upcoming bout marks du Plessis`s third defense of the middleweight title he won from Sean Strickland at UFC 297. Du Plessis has solidified his standing among the world`s elite pound-for-pound fighters. His impressive record includes two victories over Strickland and finishes against notable veterans such as Robert Whittaker, Derek Brunson, and Darren Till. He is currently riding an eleven-fight winning streak that began in 2018.
However, Khamzat Chimaev represents potentially the toughest challenge of du Plessis`s career so far. Chimaev maintains a perfect professional record of 14 wins and 0 losses. His resume features significant wins over former UFC champions Robert Whittaker and Kamaru Usman, with twelve of his fourteen victories coming via finish. Many observers feel Chimaev`s title shot is long overdue, largely due to periods of inactivity. He finally gets his chance to compete for UFC gold this August.
The announcement of this matchup has generated considerable excitement among fight fans, eager to see Chimaev test his skills for a UFC championship. For du Plessis, successfully defending his title against such a formidable undefeated opponent would significantly elevate his position in the discussion of the greatest middleweights in the sport`s history.
Wesley Dunham