Khamzat Chimaev emerged victorious from the UFC 319 main event, and it was not even close.
Five years after his dominant arrival on MMA’s biggest stage, Chimaev finally completed his long-predicted ascent to title glory on Saturday night.
Chimaev defeated Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319, with his victory over the South African coming atop a lineup that also featured standout wins for the likes of Lerone Murphy, Carlos Prates, and Michael ‘Venom’ Page.
While a couple of those names delivered ‘Knockout of the Year’ contenders, it is safe to say that nobody outclassed their opponent in Chicago with as much ease as the newly crowned middleweight king.
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Khamzat Chimaev outstruck Dricus du Plessis 529-45 at UFC 319
Chimaev needed the scorecards for the third time in his career, but there was little doubt over which way the judges had gone after the horn sounded to bring the five-round main event to an end.
Du Plessis was incredibly confident pre-fight but was unable to get off any offense throughout the 25-minute duration, during which Chimaev racked up an incredible 21 minutes and 40 seconds of control time.
While the grappling-heavy approach left the fans at United Center less than happy, perhaps the most one-sided statistic actually came via strikes.
Alongside racking up the second most control time in UFC history, Chimaev smashed the single-fight record for most strikes landed with 529 in the UFC 319 main event.
Proving just how lopsided the fight was, the South African managed to connect with just 45 in comparison, contributing to a level of dominance some believe has never been seen before from a UFC title challenger.
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Dana White willing to grant Khamzat Chimaev’s wish
When previewing UFC 319, many expressed concern for the middleweight division should Chimaev find his way to the throne due to his history of inactivity.
‘Borz’ himself pushed back on suggestions he can’t defend the title frequently enough. And to prove it, Chimaev pitched a quick turnaround post-UFC 319, outlining interest in returning just two months later at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi.
During his press conference backstage at United Center, Dana White green-lit Chimaev’s request.
“I just had a kid fight Tuesday and wanted to turn around and fight here. Abu Dhabi? I would definitely consider,” White said.