Du Plessis Mocks Chimaev Ahead of UFC 319

UFC CEO Dana White has announced that middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis will defend his title against undefeated Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 on August 16 in Chicago, the UFC's first event in the city since 2019. Du Plessis holds a 23-2 record and is on an 11-fight win streak, with two successful title defenses since winning the belt from Sean Strickland, including wins over Israel Adesanya and a rematch with Strickland. Chimaev, undefeated at 14-0, has remained a top contender despite several fight cancellations due to illness and other issues, including multiple withdrawals from high-profile bouts since 2020. He most recently defeated Robert Whittaker via first-round submission. In the build-up to the fight, Du Plessis has highlighted Chimaev's history of withdrawals and questioned his lack of five-round fight experience. The matchup is highly anticipated and expected to be a major highlight of the UFC calendar.