Khamzat Chimaev Claims UFC Middleweight Championship after Dominant Performance at UFC 319

In a spectacular display of dominance, Khamzat Chimaev claimed the UFC middleweight championship at UFC 319, decisively defeating Dricus du Plessis.

Throughout the contest, Chimaev showcased his superior grappling skills, landing an unprecedented 529 strikes on his South African opponent – a UFC record. Du Plessis, defending his title for the third time, struggled to counter Chimaev’s relentless assault.

Within the opening minute of the fight, du Plessis found himself on the mat, a predicament he repeated in each subsequent round. The third round was particularly one-sided, with Chimaev landing an impressive 156 strikes, more than three times the total amassed by his opponent throughout the bout.

Despite maintaining control for 21 minutes and 40 seconds – the second longest duration in a UFC fight, surpassed only by Sean Sherk’s 22 minutes 18 seconds against Hermes França in 2007 – Chimaev was unable to secure a knockout. However, du Plessis’ late-fight resilience was not enough to alter the judges’ verdict, who unanimously scored the fight 50 to 44 in favor of Chimaev.

Post-match, an elated Chimaev paid tribute to his tenacious opponent, acknowledging du Plessis as the only champion to have publicly acknowledged his name. “This guy has real heart, a real lion, a real African lion,” Chimaev commended.

Having been hailed as a future champion since his UFC debut in 2020, this victory marks the culmination of Chimaev’s career-defining moment. With an unbeaten record of 15-0-0, the Chechen-born fighter has faced challenges with injuries and visa issues, but recently expressed gratitude to former US President Donald Trump for facilitating his visa, enabling him to compete on American soil after nearly three years.

The past few years have seen Chimaev face criticism due to his association with notorious Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. The two have been pictured together and Kadyrov attended Chimaev’s wedding in 2022.