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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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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<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Below is the current bout order and DraftKings Sportsbook betting odds<\/a> as of Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n 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<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Joe Rogan breaks silence on UFC\u2019s future after major change<\/a><\/p>\n Main card (Start time 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+ PPV)Preliminary card (Start time 6:30 p.m. ET, UFC Fight Pass, ESPN+, ESPN)<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0UFC 319 fighter owns one of the most devastating knockouts in MMA history<\/a><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0UFC Champion Kayla Harrison could face the winner of this massive fight<\/a><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Earlier UFC start times for events coming soon?<\/a><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Dana White gives vague update on UFC fighter salary with new TV deal announcement<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n