The bout between Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev is confirmed as the main event of UFC 319 at United Center in Chicago on August 16. The pair square off in a five-round championship showdown, with the middleweight title on the line.
Du Plessis (23-2) makes the third defense of his 185-pound title. In his previous outing in February at UFC 312, the champion from South Africa defeated Sean Strickland by unanimous decision in a rematch. Before that, the 31-year-old submitted Israel Adesanya in the fourth round of his first defense last August, after dethroning Strickland by split decision in their first fight in early 2024.
Unbeaten Chimaev (14-0) fights for the first time this year and makes his first attempt to conquer the division. The Dubai-based contender won his previous bout last October at UFC 308 by submission in the first round against Robert Whittaker. Earlier in his career, the 31-year-old defeated Kamaru Usman, Kevin Holland, Gilbert Burns, among others.
The co-main event and other matchups featured on the UFC 319 fight card are expected to be confirmed shortly.
The upcoming event marks the promotion’s return to Chicago, IL after four years, following UFC 238: Cejudo vs Moraes, held at the same venue in June 2019.
