Has there ever been a more one-sided title fight in UFC history? With 21 minutes of control time and a staggering 537 total strikes landed, Khamzat Chimaev’s dominance over Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 left little doubt about who the better man was. With the performance, Chimaev finally became the undisputed middleweight champion, answering every question about his durability and cardio in the process. When the first Chicago pay-per-view main event in six years was over, it was the Chechen Wolf standing tall with gold, and Dana White was clearly impressed.
Dana White Believes Chimaev’s Win Was More Lopsided Than Judges’ Scores Showed
All three judges scored the bout 50-44 for Khamzat Chimaev, as his combination of early takedowns and punishing crucifix control sealed the win. Yet White felt even those wide scorecards didn’t reflect just how lopsided the fight truly was.
“The lead up to this fight, I said, ‘I bet the main event is the Fight of the Night.’ I didn’t see that coming, but not shocked either,” White said at the post-fight press conference, before highlighting Chimaev’s meteoric rise since first competing in the UFC.
He continued, “The night when we were on Fight Island, and he said, ‘I want to fight next Saturday,’ ever since then, the guy has been a rocket ship. He’s obviously very popular, too. People love him and fighting back here in the United States, and obviously, Chicago loves him, too.”
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White then revealed that his personal scorecard leaned even more heavily toward Chimaev than the official judges’ tallies, though he gave Du Plessis credit for never giving up despite being under constant pressure.
“I had every round a 10-8, except maybe for the last round,” White quipped. “To be in the position that he was in, and the crucifix and just getting dominated on the ground and getting punched on the face and elbowed, it’s a frustrating place to be, and I thought he [Du Plessis] handled it well. Every round, trying to get in the fight and win, yeah, impressive.”
The defeat ended Du Plessis’s undefeated UFC run, while Chimaev’s reign as champion had only just begun. And it might not be long before fans see him back inside the Octagon.
Khamzat Chimaev May Have a Place on UFC 321 in October
White is usually hesitant to announce fights immediately after an event, often saying that future matchups are decided during Tuesday’s matchmaking meetings. But there have been instances like UFC 282 when Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz fought to a draw in a bout for the vacant light heavyweight title.
This is when the UFC boss announced the next billing at the post-fight presser, which was Jamahal Hill and Glover Teixeira for UFC 283 in Brazil. And this tone seemed to shift yet again when asked about Khamzat Chimaev’s future at UFC 319. The new champion had already expressed interest in a quick turnaround, specifically targeting October 26 in Abu Dhabi at UFC 321.
Although his health issues have kept him inactive for the past two years, it seems that ‘Borz’ has finally cracked the code to be more active inside the Octagon. And White is open to the idea. “I just had a kid fight on Tuesday and wanted to turn around and fight here. Abu Dhabi? I would definitely consider,” White said.
As for Khamzat Chimaev himself, he seemed open to the idea, though understandably less fired up after a grueling five-round battle. “We will see what they say, I am ready always, no injuries, thanks God,” he told the media. Moreover, he even had a choice of opponent in his mind.
For the unversed, Anthony Hernandez was cageside for Du Plessis vs. Chimaev, fresh off extending his winning streak to eight with a dominant performance against Roman Dolidze. However, it doesn’t seem that he is in line for a title shot. That honor may go to Caio Borralho, who had served as the backup fighter for the main event.
Moreover, the Brazilian won’t be on standby for long as he is set to headline UFC Paris in early September against Nassourdine Imavov. Speaking on ESPN’s UFC 319 Post Show, Chimaev made it clear that he views that upcoming clash as a potential title eliminator.
“For sure,” Chimaev said when asked if Imavov vs. Borralho could determine the next number one contender. “Both guys are strong guys and good fighters. I have worked with both guys. They know my level in grappling and how good I am. I know how good they are. They are good fighters.”
It will be interesting to see what this new reign brings for the 185-pounders. However, it will certainly take a big effort to take the title off Khamzat Chimaev in the near future.
