Dricus du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev: UFC 319 Prediction (17.08.2025)

On Sunday, August 17, at the United Center, Dricus du Plessis of South Africa will face Khamzat Chimaev of Sweden–Chechnya, representing the UAE, at UFC 319. This bout is for the middleweight championship, marking du Plessis’s third title defense.

Key Fighter Statistics

Bookmakers favor the challenger, with odds of 2.15 for du Plessis (“Grouse”) and 1.70 for Chimaev (“Wolf”). Analysts predict the fight won’t go the full five rounds: Over 2.5 rounds pays 2.11, while Under 2.5 pays 1.65.

Dricus du Plessis

The South African trained in judo and kickboxing at the amateur level but is now a balanced MMA fighter, skilled both standing and on the ground. He won the middleweight title via split decision against Sean Strickland, defended it against Israel Adesanya with a 4th-round submission, and confirmed it again by beating Strickland via unanimous decision.

Khamzat Chimaev

The Chechen contender has never fought for a title and will compete in his first five-round fight. Undefeated in MMA, he’s known for quick, aggressive wins, often finishing opponents in the first five minutes. His only full-duration bouts — against Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman — showed less dominance in later rounds.

Head-to-Head Statistics

Chimaev has never lost in MMA, and du Plessis remains unbeaten in the UFC. This fight is expected to be intense.

Prediction

The key question: Can du Plessis withstand Chimaev’s early pressure? As a wrestling expert, Chimaev will aim to take it to the ground quickly, though many believe he can also win standing. We expect du Plessis to survive the opening two rounds, making Over 2.5 rounds at 2.11 a good bet.