Cheima Moufdil
The long-awaited middleweight title clash between Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev is finally official.
UFC CEO Dana White confirmed Tuesday via Instagram Live that du Plessis will defend his title against the undefeated Chimaev in the main event of UFC 319 on August 16 at United Center in Chicago—marking the promotion’s first event in the city since UFC 238 in 2019.
Du Plessis (23-2, 9-0 UFC) captured the middleweight crown with a split decision win over Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in early 2024. Since then, he’s defended the belt twice—first with a fourth-round submission of Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, then with a dominant unanimous decision in a rematch against Strickland at UFC 312.
Chimaev (14-0, 8-0 UFC), a breakout sensation since his 2020 debut, has been a perennial contender despite a stop-start run due to injuries and health issues. Still, the Chechen-Swedish star made a statement in his most recent outing, earning 2024’s Submission of the Year with a first-round finish of former champ Robert Whittaker at UFC 308.
Now, the unbeaten Chimaev will finally get his shot at UFC gold, while du Plessis looks to cement his reign against one of the division’s most feared rising forces.