SEE the Fight Results, Watch Post-Fight Interviews with The Main Card Winners and More from UFC 319: Du Plessis vs Chimaev, Live from United Center in Chicago On August 16
Tim Elliott kicked things off by submitting Kai
Asakura before Michael “Venom” Page bested Top 10 mainstay Jared Cannonier to
earn his third win in four UFC appearances. That was followed by consecutive
first-round knockout wins by spinning back elbow courtesy of Carlos Prates and
Lerone Murphy.
And in the main event, Khamzat Chimaev manhandled
Dricus Du Plessis for five rounds, earning a clean sweep of the scorecards to become
the new UFC middleweight champion.
It was an electric night in Chicago and we have the
details on what transpired inside the Octagon assembled for your review below.
The undefeated challenger put the champion on the
canvas in under 10 seconds, advancing to the mounted crucifix and blanking the
South African for the remainder of the round. It was the same in the second and
third, with “Borz” bulldozing Du Plessis, taking him down and keeping him
stapled to the canvas throughout.
As the fight hit the championship rounds, Chimaev
stayed attacking, chaining his wrestling together fantastically to close the
distance, shutting down any chance of offense from Du Plessis and generally
moving him around the Octagon at will. The champion had one Hail Mary offensive
push towards the end of the fight, but couldn’t not capitalize, resulting in the
title changing hands for the fifth time in less than three years.
Now 15-0 and stationed atop the middleweight division,
it’s going to be interesting to see how this new reign plays out as Chimaev
continues to look like an absolute force inside the Octagon.
Pico closed the distance early and looked sharp to
start, attacking the body and dragging Murphy to the canvas a couple of times.
But midway through the round, as the newcomer came forward again, Murphy spun
to his left, planting his elbow in the middle of Pico’s forehead, ending the
fight in an instant.
With the next featherweight title challenger still
undetermined, Murphy certainly made his case on Saturday night, picking up his
ninth straight victory and a statement finish against the highly regarded and
heavily favored Pico. The Brit is on a brilliant run and could very well be
next in line for a shot at the belt.
After finding his range and rhythm midway through the
frame, Prates landed a spinning back elbow to the side of Neal’s head just as
the horn sounded, sending the Fortis MMA man falling to the canvas. Referee
Jason Herzog waved off the fight immediately, giving Prates a dramatic return
to the win column.
That’s the first time Neal has been knocked out and an
amazing early birthday present for Prates, who turns 32 tomorrow. The Fighting
Nerds welterweight remains a wildly dangerous threat in the 170-pound weight
class and will likely find himself in the Top 10 following this performance.