UFC 319 is finally here, as arguably the biggest card of the summer goes down tonight from the United Center in Chicago, headlined by a middleweight title fight between champion Dricus du Plessis and No. 3-ranked middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev to cap off a stacked 12-fight card.
Du Plessis (23-2 MMA) aims to defend his belt for the third time since winning it last January. His last outing saw him earn a decision win over Sean Strickland (27-9 MMA) at UFC 312, pushing his undefeated mark to 9-0 in the UFC since making his promotional debut in 2020.
Similar to du Plessis, Chimaev has had a perfect start to his UFC career at 8-0. Chimaev (14-0 MMA) earned a title shot last October when he took out former UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker (26-9 MMA) at UFC 308 with a first-round face crank submission. It was Chimaev’s first fight in nearly a year, freshly healthy after a brief inactivity stint following a meteoric rise through the middleweight rankings.
The UFC’s return to “The Windy City” is the third time the promotion has hosted a middleweight title fight, its first in seven years. Du Plessis vs. Chimaev is arguably the most anticipated, however, as a combined 37-2 record and 12 combined UFC finishes make up the fascination of the contest itself.
Aug 15, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, UNITED STATES; Dricus Du Plessis during weigh ins for UFC 319 at Radius Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
If the intensity of Friday’s ceremonial weigh-in was any indication, the fight can’t come soon enough, as thousands of fans have descended upon Chicago for a star-studded week around the city. Even though du Plessis vs. Chimaev is the main attraction, this card also features the debut of former Bellator veteran Aaron Pico (13-4 MMA), who will try to put a halt to Lerone Murphy’s (16-0-1 MMA) title push at featherweight in the co-headliner.
The festivities commence on ESPN+ pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, which begins with the preliminary portion at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
Below is the current bout order and DraftKings Sportsbook betting odds as of Saturday afternoon.
Aug 15, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, UNITED STATES; Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev during weigh ins for UFC 319 at Radius Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The card was originally scheduled to have 15 fights, but due to injuries and a weight miss, it will proceed with a relatively standard dozen bouts.
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Main card (Start time 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+ PPV)Preliminary card (Start time 6:30 p.m. ET, UFC Fight Pass, ESPN+, ESPN)
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