Chimaev Dominates to Win UFC Title
Khamzat Chimaev captured the UFC Middleweight title at UFC 319 with what's being called one of the most dominant performances in the sport's history. He reportedly shut out former champion Dricus Du Plessis, drawing praise from figures like Conor McGregor for his complete control of the fight.
The judges' scorecards for the UFC 319 main event underscored Khamzat Chimaev's suffocating performance, with all three scoring the bout 50-44 in his favor. This level of dominance is a rarity in championship fights, reflecting a near-total control of the action from start to finish. The fight statistics revealed that Chimaev secured 12 takedowns and amassed an incredible 21 minutes and 40 seconds of control time over the five rounds. The victory crowned Chimaev as the first UFC champion from Chechnya, a fact not lost on former two-division champion Conor McGregor. Despite a history of online sparring, McGregor posted a congratulatory message, "Chechnya's first UFC Champion! Congrats!". In contrast, fellow UFC icon Nate Diaz offered a blunt, two-word assessment of Chimaev's grappling-heavy strategy: "Can't Fight". In his post-fight interview, Chimaev acknowledged the toughness of his opponent, stating, "respect that guy the only champion who was saying my name this guy has big heart real lion african real lion." The newly crowned champion has already indicated his next desired opponent, targeting a bout with former middleweight champion Sean Strickland. For the defeated Dricus Du Plessis, the path forward involves a period of recovery and a renewed focus on his wrestling skills. His coach confirmed they will not seek an immediate rematch, instead aiming to address the grappling disparities exposed in the fight. Potential future matchups for the former champion include a high-stakes fight with Israel Adesanya or a clash with rising contender Reinier de Ridder.
