UFC 319 is soon to be upon us, and there are many things to watch out for in Chicago on August 16.
The biggest UFC show for months is headlined by Dricus du Plessis’s heated battle with Khamzat Chimaev, with the winner walking away with the UFC Middleweight title belt.
The rest of the card is full of exciting fights, making this one of the most interesting cards in a long time.
With the UFC’s recent $7.7 billion Paramount deal, Dana White has filled one of their last PPV cards to the brim with talent, with lots to look out for at UFC 319.
- READ MORE – Dana White breaks up fiery Dricus Du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev face-off at UFC 319 press conference
Either Dricus du Plessis or Khamzat Chimaev will suffer their first defeat
The main event of UFC 319 will see one man lose his perfect winning record in the UFC, as Du Plessis puts his UFC Middleweight belt on the line against Chimaev in a massive fight.
The experts are split between du Plessis and Chimaev, as various fighters and former fighters have struggled to agree on who will walk out as champion.
Du Plessis is undefeated in the UFC, having not lost since a knockout blow before he made his debut in the promotion, and has gone 9-0 en route to becoming the top dog in the division.
Meanwhile, Chimaev is 14-0 in his career, most recently finishing Robert Whittaker with a face crank submission at UFC 308.
One man has to win, which means another has to lose at UFC 319. An undefeated streak will end, which is almost as interesting as which man holds the belt at the end of the night in Chicago.
Of course, there could always be a draw in this fight, but that seems extremely unlikely. Both du Plessis and Chimaev have finished their opponents in the majority of their UFC fights, so it seems unlikely that they’d be unable to separate the two big hitters at the end of five rounds on August 16.
Baysangur Susurkaev can make a name for himself just days after earning a UFC contract
Just days after Baysangur Susurkaev knocked out Murtaza Talha on Dana White’s Contender Series, he was booked in a fight on UFC 319 on very short notice.
The Russian earned his UFC contract thanks to that win, but was immediately thrust into a replacement fight in Chicago just a few days before the event.
Susurkaev vs Eric Nolan replaced King Green’s fight on the card, after he pulled out due to injury as he struggled to walk in the build-up to his clash with Diego Ferreira.
Susurkaev is known as Chimaev’s sparring partner in MMA circles, but he has the chance to introduce himself to the UFC faithful in a big way on August 16.
Carlos Prates and Geoff Neal are both looking for redemption after big losses to Ian Machado Garry
The Welterweight division could see one contender knocked down out of the rankings completely after this must-win fight between Carlos Prates and Geoff Neal.
Both men want to claim their stake as being top contenders in the division, but recent losses to Ian Machado Garry for both men have severely limited their potential in the UFC.
That loss was Prates’ first in the UFC and ended his four-fight win streak since earning his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. His momentum has been halted, and if he doesn’t get it back soon, history has shown that his career may never reach the heights that many expected.
Geoff Neal is much the same, although his situation seems more dire. He’s won just three of his last seven fights and is quickly dropping down the UFC rankings with each one.
Both men are still in the top 15 rankings in the Welterweight division, but only just. This fight is make-or-break for both men, and the loser could see their chance at glory flushed down the toilet forever.
UFC 319 full card
Here is the full fight card for UFC 319:
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