Chicago got quite the show on Saturday night. UFC 319 delivered some incredible moments inside the Octagon at United Center and saw the crowning of a new champion. Khamzat Chimaev earned the middleweight title in dominant fashion against Dricus du Plessis in the main event of an outstanding fight card.
Chimaev utilized his brilliant grappling game to take complete control of the fight against the reigning champion du Plessis, who had beaten champions or former champions in his last four fights. Chimaev had ground control for 21:40 of a 25-minute fight. Du Plessis could do nothing from the opening bell as Chimaev scored a takedown in under 30 seconds. The only question now is who, if anyone, can slow down the new champion from a dominant run.
Elsewhere on the card, Aaron Pico had his debut spoiled by a late replacement fighter. Lerone Murphy scored a picture-perfect back elbow that knocked Pico out cold in the opening round of their co-main event bout. Pico had controlled much of the action with his wrestling-heavy attack, but once Murphy managed to scramble back to his feet, he flipped his body and timed his strike to perfection. Murphy called for a title shot against Alexander Volkanovski in December, which the featherweight king appeared to agree to on social media afterward.
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UFC 319 fight card, odds
- Khamzat Chimaev def. Dricus du Plessis via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-44)
- Lerone Murphy def. Aaron Pico via first-round knockout (elbow)
- Carlos Prates def. Geoff Neal via first-round knockout (elbow)
- Michael Page def. Jared Cannonier via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Tim Elliott def. Kai Asakura via second-round submission (guillotine choke)
- Baisangur Susurkaev def. Eric Nolan via second-round submission (rear-naked choke)
- Michal Oleksiejczuk def. Gerald Meerschaert via first-round TKO (punches)
- Loopy Godinez def. Jessica Andrade via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Alexander Hernandez def. Chase Hooper via first-round knockout (punches)
- Drakkar Klose def. Edson Barboza via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-29)
- Karine Silva def. Dione Barbosa via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Joseph Morales def. Alibi Idiris via second-round submission (triangle choke)