UFC 319 comes on the heels of TKO’s brand-new deal with Paramount+ in one of the promotion’s final pay-per-view offerings.
The MMA promotion signed a $7.7 billion deal to take their pay-per-view model off the table and offer their numbered shows on Paramount+, free for subscribers.
UFC 319 will be one of the last events offered to fight fans via PPV, with the main event of Dricus du Plessis against Khamzat Chimaev enticing enough to convince them to part with their money.
Chimaev is undefeated in MMA so far and looks to be Du Plessis’ toughest challenger yet for his UFC Middleweight title, after defenses against Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya.
Here’s everything you need to know about what promises to be a fantastic night of MMA action at UFC 319.
What time is UFC 319?
UFC 319 takes place at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on August 16, 2025.
The event is expected to start with the early preliminaries at 6:00 PM (ET), 3:00 PM (PT), and 11:00 PM (BST).
Then, the preliminaries at 8:00 PM (ET), 5:00 PM (PT), and 01:00 AM (BST).
Following on from that, the main card gets underway at 10:00 PM (ET), 7:00 PM (PT), and 03:00 AM (BST).
How to watch and stream UFC 319?
In the US, the UFC 319 early prelims will be available to watch on the UFC Fight Pass from 6:00 PM (ET) and 3:00 PM (PT).
The preliminaries can be watched on ESPN, while both the prelims and the main card will be able to be streamed through ESPN+. The PPV will cost viewers $79.99 in order to watch it fully.
Over in the UK, fans will be able to watch the UFC 319 early prelims and prelims through the UFC Fight Pass from 11:00 PM (BST) before switching over to TNT Sports for coverage of the main card from 01:00 AM (BST).
The prelims will also be available to watch on TNT Sports.
UFC 319 – who’s fighting?
Main card
- Middleweight: Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev
- Featherweight: Lerone Murphy vs. Aaron Pico
- Welterweight: Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates
- Middleweight: Jared Cannonier vs. Michael Page
- Flyweight: Tim Elliott vs. Kai Asakura
Prelims
- Middleweight: Baysangur Susurkaev vs. Eric Nolan
- Middleweight: Gerald Meerschaert vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk
- Women’s Strawweight: Jéssica Andrade vs. Loopy Godinez
- Lightweight: Chase Hooper vs. Alexander Hernandez
Early Prelims
- Lightweight: Edson Barboza vs. Drakkar Klose
- Middleweight: Bryan Battle vs. Nursulton Ruziboev
- Women’s Flyweight: Karine Silva vs. Dione Barbosa
- Flyweight: Alibi Idiris vs. Joseph Morales
Khamzat Chimaev beating Dricus du Plessis could be a ‘disaster’ for MMA, ex-UFC star claimed
Ex-UFC fighter Din Thomas is backing du Plessis at UFC 319, as he views a potential win for Chimaev as a “disaster”.
He is worried about Chimaev’s history of pullouts and doesn’t trust the Georgian fighter to be available to fight regularly, as he told The Bohnfire podcast.
Thomas said: “I’mma keep it one hundred with you. If Khamzat wins, it’s a disaster, actually.
“You can’t tell me that a part of you is thinking, ‘This fight actually might not happen.’ … Some of these guys are just habitual in terms of not making it to the dance.
“If he does show up and he does win, do we trust him to be able to fight again?” Thomas continued. “We need movement. I hate when it’s just static and there’s no movement in these divisions. In order for there to be movement… the champions have to fight.
“If you’re a champion and you’re not willing to fight regularly…it’s bad for the division, it’s bad for the sport.”
Chimaev will have his chance to become UFC Middleweight champion when he battles du Plessis at UFC 319 on August 16.