UFC 319 Results: Khamzat Chimaev Dominates Dricus Du Plessis – Round-by-Round Recap of New Champion’s Victory

Khamzat Chimaev is the new UFC middleweight champion after a one-sided victory over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319. In front of a roaring crowd at the United Center in Chicago, Chimaev put on a dominant performance from start to finish. All three judges scored the bout 50–44 in favor of Chimaev, reflecting a fight where du Plessis could barely mount any offense. Chimaev’s relentless wrestling, ground control, and volume striking overwhelmed the South African for five rounds, fulfilling the Chechen’s long-anticipated championship aspirations. Below is a round-by-round recap of how Chimaev secured this lopsided win and claimed UFC gold.

Round 1: Immediate Takedown and Ground Control

Chimaev wasted no time establishing his game plan. Within seconds of the opening bell, he shot for a takedown and took du Plessis to the canvas. Du Plessis briefly threatened a choke during the scramble, but Chimaev deftly rolled through to end up on top in side control. From there, Chimaev’s superior grappling shined. He trapped one of du Plessis’ arms in a crucifix position and began raining down short punches. While the blows weren’t fight-ending power, they rendered du Plessis defenseless, as the former champion could do little but try to buck free. Midway through the round, du Plessis managed to free his trapped arm, but he still couldn’t escape Chimaev’s smothering top game. The horn sounded with du Plessis stuck on bottom, already looking exhausted from defending Chimaev’s suffocating pressure.

Round 2: Relentless Wrestling Draws Boos

If Round 1 went poorly for du Plessis, Round 2 offered no respite. Chimaev immediately charged forward and put du Plessis on one knee against the fence with another takedown entry. Du Plessis tried repeatedly to stand back up, but Chimaev clung to him like glue, continually dragging him down. The new challenger mixed in grinding offense – short knees and even probing for a rear-naked choke – while keeping du Plessis pressed to the mat. The Chicago crowd began to boo as Chimaev methodically neutralized du Plessis without much dramatic action. Still, it was an effective game plan: by the round’s end Chimaev had banked another frame through grappling dominance. Du Plessis had yet to show any answers for the relentless takedowns and clinch control.

Round 3: Crucifix Elbows and a 10–8 Domination

Chimaev stayed on script in Round 3, and this frame proved to be his most dominant. Once again he landed an early takedown and passed into side control. As in Round 1, Chimaev isolated du Plessis’ arm in a crucifix, but this time he amped up the punishment with sharp elbows added to the barrage of punches. Du Plessis was completely trapped and absorbing damage, bringing the fight close to a stoppage. Chimaev even briefly attempted a submission, angling for a rear-naked choke amid the onslaught. Though du Plessis eventually squirmed free of the crucifix, the one-sided beatdown had already lasted most of the round. All three judges saw this round as a 10–8 for Chimaev, given the extreme dominance and damage inflicted. It was clear by this point that du Plessis needed nothing short of a miracle to turn the tide.

Round 4: Smothering Control (and a Stand-Up)

To his credit, du Plessis refused to quit, but Round 4 followed a familiar pattern initially. Chimaev scored yet another takedown early in the round, putting the fight back on the mat. He advanced positions and threatened to trap du Plessis’s arm again. However, the offense slowed as Chimaev appeared to conserve energy. About halfway through the round, referee Marc Goddard issued a stand-up due to a lack of active offense on the ground. The brief return to striking didn’t change the momentum – Chimaev immediately shot another takedown and dragged du Plessis down once more. The round ended with Chimaev in control on top, sealing yet another clear 10–9. By now, Chimaev had built an insurmountable lead on the scorecards with his stifling grappling (over 21 minutes of ground control in total).

Round 5: Du Plessis’ Last-Ditch Effort

With his title reign slipping away, du Plessis finally showed some urgency in the final round. He came out throwing strikes and even landed a solid right hand that made Chimaev look uncomfortable for the first time. Sensing an opportunity, du Plessis pressed forward – only to be met with another “inevitable” Chimaev takedown moments later. Still, the South African had a bit of fight left. Around the midpoint of the round, du Plessis scrambled and managed to reverse position, briefly getting on top of Chimaev. He immediately hunted for a guillotine choke, but the attempt misfired; Chimaev escaped and regained top control. In the final minute, the referee stood them up again, giving du Plessis one last chance. In a dramatic sequence, du Plessis took Chimaev’s back and locked in a rear-naked choke attempt with seconds ticking away. The crowd rose to its feet as du Plessis tried desperately to finish. Chimaev stayed calm, peeled the arms, and defended until the horn. It wasn’t the storybook comeback du Plessis needed – Chimaev had clearly done more than enough to win – but it showed the former champ’s heart even in defeat.

Official Decision and Post-Fight Reactions

When the scorecards were read, there was no surprise. Khamzat Chimaev defeated Dricus du Plessis by unanimous decision (50–44, 50–44, 50–44), sweeping all five rounds and earning one 10–8 round on each judge’s card. The victory makes Chimaev (15–0) the new UFC Middleweight Champion, fulfilling predictions that hailed him as a future champion since his UFC debut in 2020. In terms of statistics, it was one of the most lopsided title fights ever: Chimaev landed 529 total strikes to du Plessis’ 45, a new UFC record for a single fight. He also amassed over 21 minutes of ground control and completed 12 takedowns in 17 attempts, completely nullifying du Plessis’ offense.

Despite the bruising loss, du Plessis was gracious in defeat and gave credit to the new champ. “The man has incredible control on the top. He was just like a blanket,” du Plessis said, marveling at Chimaev’s smothering grappling. “It wasn’t a matter of strength… it was almost as if he knew what your next move was going to be. I went for it… I could almost taste that victory (with the choke). But big ups to Khamzat – he deserves this 100% . He beat me fair and square tonight, he was the better man, and I’ll be back. I’m coming to get my belt back. For now, it’s his.” On the winner’s side, Chimaev was jubilant yet respectful after finally capturing UFC gold. “I am happy, always. I never have a game plan – just go in and work like I do in the gym,” Chimaev said of his approach. “That guy is strong. I couldn’t finish (him). I respect that guy. He is the only champion that would say my name. This guy has big heart.” Chimaev thanked his team and expressed pride in making good on the hype that surrounded him. After years of visa issues and health setbacks that slowed his rise, “Borz” now sits atop the 185-pound division.

Looking ahead, Chimaev’s dominance has the MMA world buzzing about what’s next. The new champion hinted at a quick turnaround and multiple options – even expressing interest in competing across three weight classes eventually. For now, Khamzat Chimaev can celebrate a career-defining win at UFC 319, where he delivered on lofty expectations and ushered in a new era at middleweight with a truly dominant title-winning performance.

FAQ

Q: Who won the fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319?
A: Khamzat Chimaev won the fight by unanimous decision to become the new UFC middleweight champion. All three judges scored the bout 50–44 in Chimaev’s favor, reflecting his dominant performance over five rounds.

Q: What were the judges’ scorecards for Chimaev vs. du Plessis?
A: The official scorecards were 50–44 on all three judges’ cards for Khamzat Chimaev. This means Chimaev won every round, with one round scored 10–8 due to his overwhelming dominance (in this case, the third round was 10–8 on each card).

Q: How did Khamzat Chimaev dominate Dricus du Plessis during the fight?
A: Chimaev dominated with his wrestling and ground control. He took du Plessis down in the opening minute of every roundand kept him there for most of the fight (over 21 minutes of ground control). From top position, Chimaev landed a record number of strikes (529 total to du Plessis’ 45) and twice trapped du Plessis in a crucifix to deliver unanswered blows. Du Plessis had almost no room to mount offense until a brief flurry in the final round.

Q: Did Khamzat Chimaev break any UFC records in this fight?
A: Yes. Chimaev set a new UFC record for most total strikes landed in a single fight with 529, surpassing the previous record of 447 held by Max Holloway. He also tied for the third-most takedowns ever landed in a UFC title fight (12 takedowns). These stats underscore how dominant his performance was at UFC 319.

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