Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev not too long ago got here head to head for the primary time.
Du Plessis will put his middleweight crown on the road in opposition to Chimaev within the UFC 319 major occasion this Saturday, August 16, on the United Heart in Chicago, Illinois.
Combat day can't come quick sufficient[ #UFC319 | LIVE SAT 10pmET on @ESPNPlus PPV
: https://t.co/LesqDZC0KP ] pic.twitter.com/nySC9j1ToY
— UFC (@ufc) August 12, 2025
The build-up to this extremely anticipated conflict has been charged with rigidity, fueled by frequent back-and-forth exchanges between the fighters on social media. Many anticipated sparks to fly once they lastly got here collectively in particular person, however the encounter turned out to be fairly the other.
Dricus Du Plessis And Khamzat Chimaev Meet In Individual Forward Of UFC 319 Conflict
On Tuesday, Khamzat Chimaev’s jiu-jitsu coach, Alan Do Nascimento, posted an Instagram video capturing the second “Borz” crossed paths with reigning UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis forward of their conflict this weekend.
To the shock of many, the 2 rivals greeted one another with respect, shared a light-weight second of camaraderie, and chatted briefly in a pleasant method.
Their first assembly throughout struggle week
[ #UFC319 | @DricusDuPlessis | @KChimaev ] pic.twitter.com/BAwj4cqw4b
— UFC (@ufc) August 12, 2025
“Stillknocks” enters UFC 319 using the momentum of a dominant unanimous choice victory in his second title protection, a rematch in opposition to Sean Strickland at UFC 312 this previous February.
He first captured the 185-pound crown by way of break up choice over Strickland at UFC 297, then efficiently defended it with a submission win in opposition to former champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 305. Du Plessis stays unbeaten within the UFC, boasting an ideal 9-0 document.
In the meantime, Chimaev is recent off a first-round submission victory over Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October 2024. “Borz” has seen restricted motion in recent times, competing simply 4 instances since 2022. Nonetheless, he maintains an undefeated 9-0 document within the UFC, with notable finishes over opponents equivalent to Kevin Holland and Li Jingliang.
