Du Plessis’s Title Run Meets Chimaev’s Wrestling Wall
Dricus du Plessis lost the UFC middleweight championship to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 on August 16, 2025. The five-round main event at United Center in Chicago ended in a unanimous decision, with every judge returning 50–44 for the challenger.
The challenger controls the positions
Chimaev established control within the opening exchanges, taking du Plessis to the canvas and advancing into dominant positions. The champion spent long stretches defending rather than building the striking pressure that had brought him previous championship success.
The same pattern continued through the middle rounds. Chimaev linked his takedown attempts and positional transitions, limiting the space available for du Plessis to recover his feet or launch a sustained attack. A late offensive effort did not reverse the overall direction.
A successful defense precedes the championship loss
Du Plessis had entered after successfully defending against Sean Strickland at UFC 312 in Sydney. That February rematch ended in a unanimous decision for the South African, following his earlier title victory over Strickland and a submission defense against Israel Adesanya.
Chicago therefore marked the end of an established championship run rather than a missed booking on an earlier card. Chimaev completed the title challenge in August and left with the belt, while du Plessis left with a full-distance defeat. The contrast between Sydney and Chicago illustrates how different opponents can reshape a champion’s working space: successful pressure in one defense, prolonged defensive grappling in the next.
Sources
- ufc.com: main card results highlights winner interviews ufc 319 du plessis vs chimaev chicago
- ufc.com: main card results highlights winner interviews ufc 312 du plessis vs strickland 2 sydney
- ufc.com: official judges scorecards ufc 319 du plessis vs chimaev chicago
Article Tags
Dricus du Plessis, Khamzat Chimaev, UFC, MMA
