Dricus du Plessis will put his Middleweight Championship on the line when he faces the threat of Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 319, set for the United Centre in Chicago, Illinois, on Sunday morning.
Du Plessis (23-2) won the title off Sean Strickland in early 2024 and has made two successful defences, submitting Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in August of last year, and outpointing Strickland in a rematch in February of 2025.
“Stillknocks” is on an 11-fight win streak and comes into this match full of confidence that he can make it a hat-trick of successful title defences.
“With my style, that is a very controversial style in the UFC, unlike anything that most people have ever seen,” said the South African.
"But it's only a benefit because it's proven to be effective. But then again, how do you prepare for that? How do you find somebody to mimic that?
"And at the end of the day, that's almost my niche. It's impossible to prepare for me because I have this unique style that... where do you find somebody to mimic it?"
Du Plessis added, “I'm the underdog. I've been the underdog for most of my career, yet I am the champion. So, odds don't make fights and for me, I 100 per cent believe this is the best opponent that I have faced to date.
"But so was the previous one. Every time you step in there, you're going to face the next most dangerous guy – especially as the champion.
"So for me, yes, this is the best opponent I've ever come up against, but once again, I'll show my improvements and why I am the champion.”
Chimaev (14-0) is undefeated as a professional and he has claimed notable scalps in his last four fights, putting away Gilbert Burns (via unanimous decision), Kevin Holland (submission), Kamaru Usman (majority decision) and Robert Whittaker (submission) to earn a shot at the belt.
The rest of the main card features the UFC debut of former wrestler Aaron Pico, as he takes on Lerone Murphy in the featherweight division; Geoff Neal takes on Carlos Prates in the welterweight division; a middleweight match pits Jared Cannonier against Michael Page; and Tim Elliott battles Kai Asakura in a flyweight fight.
UFC 319: DU PLESSIS VS. CHIMAEV – MAIN CARD
- Main event: Middleweight Championship: Dricus du Plessis v Khamzat Chimaev
- Featherweight: Lerone Murphy v Aaron Pico
- Welterweight: Geoff Neal v Carlos Prates
- Middleweight: Jared Cannonier v Michael Page
- Flyweight: Tim Elliott v Kai Asakura