Chimaev Dominates to Win UFC Title

The victory for Khamzat Chimaev was a statistical masterpiece and a record-breaking performance. He landed an unprecedented 529 total strikes over five rounds, shattering the previous UFC record of 447 held by Max Holloway. In contrast, Dricus Du Plessis managed to land only 45 strikes in return. Chimaev's grappling was relentless, resulting in 21 minutes and 40 seconds of ground control time, which accounted for nearly 87% of the entire fight. He successfully completed 12 takedowns, suffocating Du Plessis from the opening seconds and frequently trapping him in a crucifix position to land a barrage of ground-and-pound. The judges' scorecards reflected this one-sided affair, with all three scoring the bout 50-44 in favor of the new champion. The performance drew a range of reactions from the MMA community. Conor McGregor, in a now-deleted post on X, acknowledged the historic win by writing, "Chechnya's first UFC Champion! Congrats!" However, perennial contender Nate Diaz was less impressed, cryptically posting "Can't Fight," a likely jab at Chimaev's grappling-heavy approach. Former champion Henry Cejudo questioned if it was the "most dominant championship performance put forth by a challenger in UFC history," while fighter Terrance McKinney stated, "Khamzat is an all time great regardless of how you feel he did it he made it look easy." The now-former champion Du Plessis credited Chimaev's skill, stating, "The man has incredible control on top, he's like a blanket, he always knew what your next move was going to be." This title win culminates a journey that began with one of the most explosive starts in UFC history. In 2020, Chimaev won his first two UFC fights in a record-setting 10-day span and followed that up with a 17-second knockout of Gerald Meerschaert. His undefeated record now stands at 15-0. Before losing the title, Dricus Du Plessis was on an impressive run himself, having become the first South African to win a UFC championship by defeating Sean Strickland at UFC 297. He successfully defended the belt against former champions Israel Adesanya and a rematch with Strickland. Looking ahead, a first title defense against former middleweight champion Sean Strickland appears to be the most likely next step for Chimaev. Strickland has been vocal about wanting the matchup, and Chimaev has confirmed on social media that he is waiting for the fight, dismissing rumors of an injury.