Khamzat Chimaev’s large frame caught fans’ attention when he met Dricus Du Plessis days before their UFC 319 middleweight title fight. Set for August 16 2025 at Chicago’s United Center, the main event pits the champion against an undefeated contender. Their friendly exchange, despite Chimaev’s size advantage, contrasts their heated rivalry, setting a fresh tone for a major showdown.
UFC 319 airs on ESPN Plus pay-per-view from Chicago’s United Center. Du Plessis, with a 23-2 record, defends his middleweight belt against Chimaev, who is 14-0. The card includes fights like Aaron Pico versus Lerone Murphy and Michael Page against Jared Cannonier.
Chimaev is favored at -220 odds, with Du Plessis at +180. This marks the UFC’s first Chicago event since June 2019, when Tony Ferguson fought Donald Cerrone.
A Respectful Yet Tense Meeting
On August 12 2025, UFC shared a video showing Chimaev and Du Plessis meeting during fight week. Chimaev appeared much larger, raising fan concerns about Du Plessis’ chances. Despite this, they greeted each other warmly, chatted briefly, and parted amicably. This surprised fans expecting tension after months of verbal jabs.
Their first meeting during fight week 🤝
[ #UFC319 | @DricusDuPlessis | @KChimaev ] pic.twitter.com/BAwj4cqw4b
— UFC (@ufc) August 12, 2025
Chimaev praised Du Plessis for accepting the fight, saying, “He didn’t back down like others,” in an ESPN MMA interview. Du Plessis told Fox 32 News on August 10 2025, “This is MMA, not just wrestling. I’m ready for anything.”
Born January 14, 1994, in Pretoria, South Africa, Dricus Du Plessis started his MMA career in 2013 with EFC Africa, winning welterweight and middleweight titles. He joined the UFC in 2020 after a knockout loss to Roberto Soldić at KSW in 2018, his only defeat outside the UFC. His UFC record is 9-0, with wins over Brad Tavares, Derek Brunson, and Darren Till.
Du Plessis won the middleweight title with a split decision over Sean Strickland at UFC 297 on January 20 2024. He defended it with a fourth-round submission of Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 on August 18 2024 and dominated Strickland in a rematch at UFC 312 on February 8 2025. His unique striking and grappling, averaging 6.12 significant strikes per minute, make him a tough matchup.
His coach, Morne Visser, criticized Chimaev’s stand-up, saying he’d fail to get a pro boxing license. Du Plessis believes his experience against top names gives him an advantage.
Born May 1, 1994, in Chechnya and raised in Sweden, Khamzat Chimaev debuted in the UFC in July 2020. He set a record with two wins in 10 days on Fight Island, submitting John Phillips and Rhys McKee. Known as “Borz” (wolf), his mix of wrestling and striking yields a 4.31 takedown average per fight.
Chimaev’s UFC record is 9-0. He defeated Gilbert Burns by decision in 2022, submitted Kevin Holland in 2022, and outpointed Kamaru Usman in 2023. His latest win was a first-round submission of Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 on October 26 2024, breaking Whittaker’s jaw. Health issues and weight cuts limited him to five UFC fights since 2020.
He now trains with coach Sam Calavitta to boost stamina, using recovery monitoring to avoid overtraining. Arman Tsarukyan praised his improved endurance.
Firas Zahabi predicts Chimaev will finish Du Plessis in two rounds with wrestling. Nassourdine Imavov warned Chimaev’s cardio could falter, recalling his Burns fight. Fan concerns about Chimaev’s size, add pressure to Du Plessis.
