/ufc-319-results-chimaev-du-plessis
Introduction
If you follow MMA even casually, you already knew this night was coming. UFC 319 took place on Saturday, August 16, 2025, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, and it delivered exactly what the most excited fans hoped for and what the nervous ones feared. Khamzat “Borz” Chimaev walked into the Octagon as the most dangerous undefeated contender in the sport and walked out as the new UFC Middleweight Champion.
The event was the UFC’s first return to Chicago since UFC 238 back in June 2019. The city came alive for it. The card was stacked from top to bottom, with spinning elbows, dominant wrestling, and a title change that shook the whole middleweight division.
In this article, you get the full story. We break down every main card fight, the key prelim results, what Chimaev’s win means going forward, and the moments you need to know about from one of the best cards of the year.
UFC 319 Quick Facts
Before we dive deep, here is a fast overview of the event:
- Event: UFC 319: Du Plessis vs. Chimaev
- Date: Saturday, August 16, 2025
- Venue: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
- Main Event: Khamzat Chimaev def. Dricus du Plessis (Unanimous Decision, 50-44, 50-44, 50-44)
- Co-Main: Lerone Murphy def. Aaron Pico (KO, Round 1)
- Performance of the Night Bonuses: Khamzat Chimaev, Lerone Murphy, Carlos Prates, Tim Elliott
The Main Event: Chimaev Ragdolls Du Plessis for Five Dominant Rounds
This is the one everyone paid for. And honestly? It was not even close.
How Chimaev Won the UFC Middleweight Title
Khamzat Chimaev walked into UFC 319 at 14-0, carrying more hype than almost any fighter in recent memory. Critics questioned whether he could handle a true champion like Dricus du Plessis. He answered every single one of those questions in the most emphatic way possible.
From the opening bell, Chimaev shot for a takedown within seconds. He brought du Plessis to the canvas, advanced to the crucifix position, and started raining down left-hand punches. Du Plessis survived Round 1, but the tone was already set.
Rounds 2, 3, and 4 played out in the same painful pattern. Chimaev kept shooting, kept taking du Plessis down, and kept controlling him on the mat with ease. Du Plessis barely landed double-digit significant strikes across the entire five-round fight. He was, in every honest sense of the word, ragdolled.
There was one brief moment late in Round 5 where du Plessis mounted a small offensive push and even briefly threatened a rear-naked choke. But it was too little, too late. The judges scored every round for Chimaev. All three scorecards read 50-44, a near-perfect sweep that told the whole story.
Chimaev improved to 15-0 and claimed the gold that many believed was always meant for him.
What Du Plessis Said After the Loss
Du Plessis handled the loss with real class. He acknowledged the defeat and promised to come back and win the title again. Chimaev, for his part, showed respect right back. He said du Plessis was “a real lion” and the only champion who had been willing to call his name publicly.
That kind of mutual respect made for a memorable post-fight moment in a sport that is often short on those.
What Chimaev’s Win Means for the Middleweight Division
The 185-pound division just got a terrifying new king. Chimaev at 15-0, holding the belt, with wrestling that simply has no equal at middleweight right now, is a massive problem for every contender in the division.
The early conversation after UFC 319 pointed toward a rematch with du Plessis as the most logical next title defense. Other names in the picture include Caio Borralho, Nassourdine Imavov, and Sean Strickland. But for now, Borz is the man at 185 and nobody looks eager to fight him.
Co-Main Event: Lerone Murphy’s Spinning Elbow Puts Aaron Pico to Sleep
If you missed this, go watch it immediately.
Lerone Murphy and Aaron Pico squared off in a featherweight bout that turned into one of the most jaw-dropping moments of 2025. Pico was making his UFC debut after a long career in Bellator, and he came out aggressive. He landed hard body shots early and even had Murphy in trouble at one point, forcing him toward the cage.
Then, in the blink of an eye, Murphy threw a spinning back elbow. It landed flush. Pico dropped, and the referee waved it off at 3:21 of Round 1.
Murphy stayed undefeated and won the Knockout of the Night bonus. Sherdog later named it the Knockout of the Year for 2025. You can see why. It was the kind of finish that turns highlight reels into legends.
For Murphy, the win opened the door to a potential featherweight title shot. His name got floated alongside Alexander Volkanovski almost immediately after the fight.
For Pico, it was a brutal UFC debut. He showed real toughness and had genuine moments in the fight. But Murphy’s counter-striking ability is on another level.
Main Card Recap: Every Fight, Every Finish
Carlos Prates KOs Geoff Neal (Round 1, Welterweight)
This was another spinning elbow finish. Seriously, Chicago was the city of spinning elbows that night.
Prates connected on a beautiful spinning back elbow against Geoff Neal at 4:59 of Round 1, sending him to the canvas. The finish was clean, dramatic, and earned Prates a Performance of the Night bonus.
Neal, a tough welterweight veteran, had no real answer for Prates’ creative, unpredictable striking. Prates continued to position himself as a serious contender in the 170-pound division.
Michael “Venom” Page def. Jared Cannonier (Unanimous Decision, Middleweight)
This was a more methodical fight, but Page controlled it from start to finish. He used his long, unorthodox striking to keep Cannonier guessing and earned a unanimous decision win with scorecards of 29-28 across the board.
It was the third win in Page’s last four UFC appearances. He is building a real case for a top-10 middleweight ranking, and this performance moved him closer to more meaningful matchups in the division.
Cannonier, a fan favorite, struggled to close the distance and was never really able to get inside Page’s range consistently enough to threaten.
Tim Elliott def. Kai Asakura (Submission, Round 2, Flyweight)
Tim Elliott opened the main card with a story worth telling. He submitted Kai Asakura with a guillotine choke at 4:39 of Round 2 in their flyweight bout. That alone would have been impressive enough.
What made it remarkable was the detail that came out after the fight: Elliott revealed that he had broken his leg during the fight and still managed to secure the submission. He finished the fight on a broken leg and still earned the win and the Performance of the Night bonus.
That is the kind of toughness that gets talked about for years. Asakura, who was making his UFC debut after a successful career in Rizin, fought hard but could not escape the submission.
Baysangur Susurkaev def. Eric Nolan (Submission, Round 2, Middleweight)
This was the prelim fight that got everyone buzzing heading into the main card. Susurkaev, a recent Dana White’s Contender Series graduate, submitted Nolan with a rear-naked choke at 2:01 of Round 2.
Nolan had entered the fight on a four-fight winning streak, with three of those wins coming by knockout. Susurkaev looked sharp, composed, and dangerous. Keep an eye on his name going forward.
Full UFC 319 Results
Here is the complete breakdown of every fight result from the night:
Main Card:
- Khamzat Chimaev def. Dricus du Plessis via Unanimous Decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-44) — UFC Middleweight Title
- Lerone Murphy def. Aaron Pico via KO at 3:21 of Round 1 — Featherweight
- Carlos Prates def. Geoff Neal via KO at 4:59 of Round 1 — Welterweight
- Michael Page def. Jared Cannonier via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) — Middleweight
- Tim Elliott def. Kai Asakura via Guillotine Choke at 4:39 of Round 2 — Flyweight
Preliminary Card:
- Baysangur Susurkaev def. Eric Nolan via Rear-Naked Choke at 2:01 of Round 2 — Middleweight
- Michal Oleksiejczuk def. Gerald Meerschaert via TKO at 3:03 of Round 1 — Middleweight
- Lupita Godinez def. Jessica Andrade via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) — Women’s Strawweight
- Alexander Hernandez def. Chase Hooper via TKO at 4:58 of Round 1 — Lightweight
- Drakkar Klose def. Edson Barboza via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) — Lightweight
UFC 319 Bonus Awards
The UFC handed out Performance of the Night bonuses to four fighters:
- Khamzat Chimaev — Main event dominant title win
- Lerone Murphy — Spinning elbow KO of Aaron Pico
- Carlos Prates — Spinning elbow KO of Geoff Neal
- Tim Elliott — Guillotine choke sub on a broken leg
No Fight of the Night bonus was awarded, which honestly makes sense. Most fights ended early, with authority.
UFC 319 Historic Context: Why This Card Mattered
A few things madeUFC 319 stand out beyond just the title change.
First, it marked the UFC’s return to Chicago for the first time since June 2019. The city had been waiting six years for another major UFC event, and the United Center delivered an electric atmosphere.
Second, Chimaev’s win completed one of the most hyped journeys in recent MMA history. He debuted in the UFC in 2020, went on a tear, and the question of whether he could actually win gold had hung over his career for five years. He answered it emphatically, going 50-44 on every scorecard in a championship fight.
Third, the card was the finale for the TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) flyweight tournament for Team Cormier vs. Team Sonnen. That final played out on the same night, adding another layer of event significance.
Key Takeaways From UFC 319
Here is what you really need to walk away understanding from this event:
- Chimaev is the real deal. Five rounds, five dominant rounds, against a resilient champion. At 15-0, he is the most complete middleweight in the world right now.
- Lerone Murphy deserves a title shot conversation. He is undefeated, exciting, and just produced the Knockout of the Year.
- Carlos Prates is a problem at welterweight. Two consecutive spinning back elbow KOs makes a statement nobody can ignore.
- Tim Elliott is tougher than most. Submitting someone on a broken leg is not something you see every day.
- The middleweight division is going to be fascinating. Du Plessis will push for a rematch. Borralho and Imavov are lurking. Chimaev has a full division of challengers already lining up.
Conclusion
UFC 319 was the kind of night that reminds you why you love this sport. You got a historic title change, two of the best knockout finishes of the year, a warrior submitting his opponent on a broken leg, and a crowd in Chicago that was absolutely electric throughout.
Khamzat Chimaev is your new UFC Middleweight Champion. After years of wondering whether the hype was real, we now have our answer.
If you watched it live, you already know this card lives in the memory. If you missed it, go back and watch the main card. You will not regret a single minute of it.
What was your favorite moment from UFC 319? Drop your thoughts and let us know who you think Chimaev should defend the title against first.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who won the main event at UFC 319? Khamzat Chimaev defeated Dricus du Plessis by unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-44) to claim the UFC Middleweight Championship. It was a dominant, one-sided performance across all five rounds.
2. Where did UFC 319 take place? UFC 319 took place at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on August 16, 2025. It was the UFC’s first event in Chicago since UFC 238 in June 2019.
3. What were the full results of UFC 319? The main card results were: Chimaev def. du Plessis (UD), Murphy def. Pico (KO R1), Prates def. Neal (KO R1), Page def. Cannonier (UD), and Elliott def. Asakura (Sub R2).
4. Did Khamzat Chimaev finish Dricus du Plessis? No. Chimaev did not finish du Plessis, though he dominated completely. Du Plessis showed incredible heart and survived all five rounds. The final scorecards were a perfect 50-44 sweep.
5. Who got the Performance of the Night bonuses at UFC 319? Khamzat Chimaev, Lerone Murphy, Carlos Prates, and Tim Elliott all received Performance of the Night bonuses.
6. What happened in the Lerone Murphy vs Aaron Pico fight? Murphy knocked out Pico with a spinning back elbow at 3:21 of Round 1. Pico was making his UFC debut and had some early success, but Murphy’s counter-striking ended the fight decisively.
7. Who is next for Khamzat Chimaev after UFC 319? The leading contender for the next title shot appears to be Dricus du Plessis in a rematch. Other names in the picture include Caio Borralho and Nassourdine Imavov.
8. How did Tim Elliott win at UFC 319? Tim Elliott submitted Kai Asakura with a guillotine choke in Round 2. He later revealed he had broken his leg during the fight and still finished.
9. Was UFC 319 available on ESPN+? Yes. The main card aired on ESPN+ PPV starting at 10 p.m. ET. The prelims aired on ESPN and ESPN+ starting at 8 p.m. ET.
10. What was the record of Khamzat Chimaev after UFC 319? Chimaev improved to 15-0 after his title win over du Plessis at UFC 319.
Category
Sports > MMA > UFC Events
Author Bio
Jake Mercer is a combat sports writer with over eight years of experience covering UFC events, fight cards, and MMA analysis. He has followed the sport from regional promotions to the biggest pay-per-view nights in UFC history, with a focus on clear, honest, and reader-first storytelling. You can follow his coverage for fighter breakdowns, event previews, and post-fight analysis.
Aslo read reflectionverse.com
