Fight By Fight Preview | UFC 319: Du Plessis vs Chimaev

Middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis looks to defend his place atop the division once more as he welcomes the challenge of unbeaten marauder Khamzat Chimaev in the UFC 319 main event.

The South African titleholder continues to deliver more dominant performances and eliminate room for questioning his standing as the best middleweight in the world with each successive outing. He earned his second successful title defense earlier this year by thoroughly outworking former champ Sean Strickland in a rematch of their UFC 297 encounter, which extended Du Plessis’ record to 9-0 in the UFC and 23-2 overall.

Five years after exploding onto the scene with three wins in two months, Chimaev finally lands in his first championship fight, aiming to maintain his unblemished record while proving he’s every bit the unstoppable force many have long believed him to be. The now 31-year-old standout secured this opportunity with a first-round submission win over Robert Whittaker last October that was closer to a mugging than a competitive matchup, and silenced any questions about his health or his ability to hang with the very best in the world.

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This is an absolutely fascinating matchup because despite all their successes, there are questions that remain on both sides and cases to be made in favor of each man. More than any fight either has engaged in to this point, Saturday’s main event is going to be the proving ground for both Du Plessis and Chimaev, and have an unquestionable impact on how we look at each in the present and going forward. 

This is going to be special.

ADDITIONAL MAIN CARD MATCHUPS

Lerone Murphy vs Aaron Pico

Lerone Murphy puts his undefeated record on the line as he welcomes Aaron Pico to the Octagon for the first time in this outstanding featherweight fixture. 

There are a lot of similarities between Murphy and fellow Brit Leon Edwards, who steadily worked his way to the top of the welterweight division as, like the former welterweight ruler, the 34-year-old Manchester man is on an outstanding run of success without much fanfare, and is without question a better fighter than most understand or give him credit for being. Over his last three fights, “The Miracle” has earned quality wins over Edson Barboza, Dan Ige, and Josh Emmett to cement his standing as a contender, and vanquishing Pico would certainly strengthen his case for a championship opportunity early next year.

Now 28 years old, Pico has grown into being the fighter most envisioned when he was a teenage phenom that had yet to actually make the transition into mixed martial arts, though some questions do still linger. He’s gone 9-1 over his last 10 fights, with his only loss coming as a result of an injury, and has a complete assortment of tools at his disposal, including proven knockout power and excellent wrestling. 

Murphy is the established, entrenched half of this pairing, though he still has room to ascend in terms of acceptance and recognition, and a win here would definitely help that cause. For Pico, this is his chance to catapult himself right into the thick of the title chase and show that he’s more than capable of running with the elites in the UFC featherweight division. 

Geoff Neal vs Carlos Prates

Originally scheduled to face off at UFC 314 in Miami, Geoff Neal and Carlos Prates command the feature slot on Saturday’s talent-rich main card. 

Neal, who turns 35 less than two weeks after this weekend’s event, competes for the first time since his abbreviated bout with Rafael Dos Anjos last October in Abu Dhabi, which was halted when the former lightweight champ suffered a knee injury. The Fortis MMA representative has been a Top 15 staple for the last several years, settling into life in the 6-12 range, while showcasing sharp, punishing hands and the tenacity and moxie to push both Shavkat Rakhmanov and Ian Machado Garry to their limits.

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Following a breakout rookie campaign where he went 4-0 with four finishes to force his way into the rankings, Prates suffered his first loss in a dozen fights last time out, dropping a decision to Machado Garry in a fight where the Irish standout was strategic for the majority ofthe contest before getting in a little trouble late. If the Fighting Nerds’ core four — Caio Borralho, Jean Silva, Mauricio Ruffy, and Prates — were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Prates would be Raphael, the somewhat volatile, ever-dangerous member of the group, which is what makes him a constant threat, captivating to watch, and susceptible to missteps like the one he experienced in Kansas City against Machado Garry.

It’s highly likely that these two wade into the center, touch gloves, and start throwing fastballs at one another straight away, stopping only when the horn sounds signaling the end of the round or one of them is left staring up at the lights. Buckle up and enjoy because this one is sure to be electric. 

Jared Cannonier vs Michael Page

Middleweight has been having a moment here, and before the title goes up for grabs, Jared Cannonier and Michael Page will stand opposite one another with a place in the Top 10 hanging in the balance. 

A Top 10 mainstay since he debuted in the division towards the end of 2018, Cannonier halted a two-fight slide earlier this year by rallying to finish Gregory Rodrigues. Now 26 fights into his career and at “Level 41,” the MMA Lab product is the perfect top-end measuring stick in a weight class that has been undergoing some changes over the last two years, as the only people to best him at middleweight remain former champs Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya, and upcoming Paris headliners Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho, who could very well be fighting to determine who faces Saturday’s title fight winner.

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Page bounced up to middleweight earlier this year to bounce Shara Magomedov from the ranks of the unbeaten, showing that he’s the better range fighter of the two and still a tricky puzzle to solve for whomever stands across from him inside the Octagon. While he’s now 38 years old, “MVP” feels like he’s capable of having an extended twilight similar to that of Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, who has remained a Top 15 fighter well into his 40s.

This one is all going to come down to how Cannonier opts to approach things, as it feels like there is a clear blueprint for how to neutralize Page. Typically, “The Killa Gorilla” isn’t someone that looks to wrestle all that much, so we should get plenty of striking exchanges in space, where it will be Cannonier’s power against Page’s speed and variety. 

Tim Elliott vs Kai Asakura

Saturday’s main card kicks off with an intriguing pairing in the flyweight division as former title challengers Tim Elliott and Kai Asakura go head-to-head in Chicago.

Nearly a decade removed from his competitive title bout with Demetrious Johnson, Elliott has remained one of the top veteran tests in the 125-pound weight class, posting a 7-6 record over his last 13 starts, most of which have come against the division’s best. He hasn’t fought since submitting Sumudaerji in December 2023, so it will be interesting to see how the 38-year-old looks after such an extended absence.

Asakura got an immediate title shot last December after joining the UFC from RIZIN, stepping into a bout with Alexandre Pantoja where he fell by submission in the second round. The Japanese fighter rose to prominence on the strength of quality wins over Manel Kape and KyojiHoriguchi, as well as his explosive power, and he gets a second chance to make a first impression in the Octagon.

PRELIMINARY CARD PAIRINGS 

Baisangur Susurkaev vs Eric Nolan

Four days after earning his place on the UFC roster, Baisangur Susurkaev gets his wish to compete this weekend alongside training partner Khamzat Chimaev as he takes on New Jersey native Eric Nolan at UFC 319.

Susurkaev earned the lone finish on Tuesday's opening episode of Dana White's Contender Series, finishing returning hopeful Murtaza Talha with a front kick to the bread basket that got the UFC CEO and President out of his seat and singing the Chechen fighter's praises. Nolan arrives having won four straight, with the Dante Rivera protege having most recently claimed the CFFC welterweight title with a first-round stoppage win in late May.

Gerald Meerschaert vs Michal Oleksiejczuk

Gerald Meerschaert and Michal Oleksiejczuk meet in this pairing of middleweight mainstays that surprisingly hasn’t been booked before.

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A dangerous submission ace with heaps of experience and a 100-percent finishing rate inside the Octagon, Meerschaert arrives in Chicago having suffered consecutive losses to Reinier de Ridder and Brad Tavares. Oleksiejczuk snapped a three-fight slide back in April, venturing to Sao Paulo to train with former opponent Caio Borralho and the Fighting Nerds before storming through Sedriques Dumas in Miami.

Jessica Andrade vs Loopy Godinez

Strawweight rankings staples Jessica Andrade and Loopy Godinez square off in what profiles as a bit of a crossroads fight for both women. 

Andrade is both 2-0 in her last two strawweight appearances and coming into this fight on a two-fight skid, having bounced back up to flyweight last year following her win at UFC 300, dropping consecutive bouts to top contenders Natalia Silva and Jasmine Jasudavicius. Godinez was on a real good run through 2023, posting four straight wins and looking like a dark horse in the division, only to drop consecutive divisions to Virna Jandiroba and Mackenzie Dern before bouncing back with a win over Julia Polastri in Mexico City earlier this year. 

Chase Hooper vs Alexander Hernandez

Chase Hooper and Alexander Hernandez share the Octagon in the first of four televised preliminary card bouts this weekend at United Center.

Hooper has gone 5-0 since moving to lightweight, most recently getting the better of veteran Jim Miller at UFC 314 in April, while Hernandez has earned back-to-back wins and four straight wins when competing at 155 pounds. This is a “which one moves forward” matchup that should answer a lot of questions about both men once they step in and start to get after it on Saturday evening in Chicago. 

Edson Barboza vs Drakkar Klose

Veterans Edson Barboza and Drakkar Klose line up opposite one another in a bout that feels like a sure-fire barnburner for as long as it lasts.

Despite being 39 and well over a dozen years into his UFC tenure, Barboza remains fundamentally sharp and lightning quick with his striking, and it will be interesting to see how that holds up as he moves back to lightweight for the first time since September 2019. Klose has constantly found himself near the rankings, but never quite broke through, as untimely losses have marred what has otherwise been a largely successful career inside the Octagon. 

Bryan Battle vs Nursulton Ruziboev

Former TUF winner Bryan Battle returns to middleweight to face off with Uzbekistani bruiser Nursulton Ruziboev in this low-key banger early in the lineup.

Battle earned victories in each of his first two UFC appearances at middleweight before movingdown to welterweight, and he makes his return to the 185-pound ranks riding a five-fight unbeaten streak. Ruziboev opened his UFC run with a pair of finishes before dropping down to welterweight, dropping a decision to Joaquin Buckley, and then returning to middleweight, where he’s since posted two more wins.

Karine Silva vs Dione Barbosa

Brazilian flyweights Karine Silva and Dione Barbosa meet for the second time in their careers, with each heading into this one with something to prove.

Silva had her nine-fight winning streak snapped by another Brazilian, Viviane Araujo, last time out at UFC 309, while Barbosa picked up a Performance of the Night bonus for her submission win over Diana Belbita in April. These two fought all the way back in May 2019, with Barbosa earning a unanimous decision victory, so we’ll have to see if there are lingering tensions between the two as they renew acquaintances on Saturday.