It took way longer than anyone expected when he first entered the UFC, but Khamzat Chimaev is officially the middleweight champion. The undefeated Russian fighter put on a record-breaking performance, landing 529 total strikes Saturday in Chicago at UFC 319 in a complete dismantling of now-former champion Dricus Du Plessis.
The co-main event and third fight on the card also produced a first. Carlos Prates and Lerone Murphy both finished their opponents by spinning back elbows in the first round — in back-to-back fights. Brett Okamoto, Andreas Hale and Jeff Wagenheim offer their takeaways from the top of the UFC 319 card.
A prophecy is fulfilled
It just took a little longer than anticipated.
When Khamzat Chimaev made his UFC debut in 2020, many viewed him as the uncrowned middleweight champion just three fights into his tenure. Five years later, Chimaev ran roughshod over Dricus Du Plessis with one of the most dominant grappling showcases in UFC history. Du Plessis couldn’t stay on his feet longer than the first 30 seconds in any of the five rounds and found himself giving up an absurd 21 minutes, 41 seconds of control time. Chimaev shattered the UFC record for total strikes landed with 529, cruising past Max Holloway’s 447 strikes landed against Calvin Katter in 2021. Also, Chimaev’s striking differential of plus-484 unseated Holloway’s plus-312 (also against Kattar).
And he accomplished all of this in a title fight against the reigning and defending middleweight champion.
With Chimaev finally taking his place as the king of the middleweights, the question now is, what kind of fighter will have the ability to defeat him? Chimaev has outstanding grappling and solid striking, which is a dangerous combination for the division. Fortunately, Chimaev’s path to the title has left him plenty of fresh opponents. Outside of Robert Whittaker, Chimaev hasn’t fought a single middleweight in the top 15. That leaves plenty of opportunities for unique matchups, including the grappling brilliance of Reinier De Ridder, the relentless gas tank of Anthony Hernandez, the seemingly complete package of Caio Borralho and current top contender Nassourdine Imavov.
This opens the door for Chimaev to make a run at becoming one of the greatest middleweight champions in UFC history. Should he do to the rest of the division what he did to Du Plessis, an argument can be made that he would surpass Anderson Silva’s six-year reign of dominance. Although this conversation is premature, the way Chimaev has dominated the opposition allows the conversation to be had in the first place.
The only real issue standing in his way — aside from the opponents — will be his health. It took five years to get to this point because he couldn’t stay active after a battle with COVID-19. His Visa issues appear to be behind him and his sole focus will need to be on his health moving forward.
Chimaev’s path is clear to enter rarefied air as one of the greatest MMA champions of all time. He has all the tools in a deep division to etch his face on the fictional MMA Mount Rushmore. We are now firmly in the Chimaev Era. — Hale
Lerone Murphy might actually be the boogeyman
All eyes were on Aaron Pico going into Saturday, and for good reason. Few fighters in MMA history have flashed the level of raw talent Pico has. The 28-year-old has struggled to put it together in a cohesive way at the highest level, however, and whether he ever will is a fair question. But it’s not the biggest takeaway here. Right now, let’s give Murphy his flowers. Because we didn’t, despite his 8-0-1 UFC record, going into Saturday. Murphy has been close to perfect in the UFC, but he didn’t have that “it” factor. He didn’t have many finishes. He doesn’t have an obvious, unstoppable aspect of his game, as many champions and title challengers do. But he is rock solid everywhere, and we should not doubt Murphy when he gets his shot at the featherweight belt. There was a lot of belief that Pico would get a title shot in December against champion Alexander Volkanovski if he won. If true, shouldn’t Murphy now get it after turning Pico into a highlight reel? Volkanovski thinks so. See you in December @LeroneMurphy congrats #ufc319 — Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) August 17, 2025 There will be more said on Pico and this year’s trend of former Bellator MMA stars floundering in their UFC debuts, but the story on Saturday is Murphy. He’s legit, and this win just did more for his stock than all of the past nine. — Okamoto Carlos Prates was a hot prospect on an 11-fight winning streak when he fought Ian Machado Garry in April. He threatened the undefeated Englishman with a flurry late in the fight but lost a clear unanimous decision, halting his momentum. He got that momentum back to cruising speed Saturday night, suddenly, brutally and artfully. Prates’ spinning backfist knocked out Geoff Neal with a second left in Round 1. And leading up to the timely finish, Prates fought with unbridled flair, moving around the cage nimbly and picking apart Neal. It was a performance that oozed confidence and an upward trajectory. But Prates saved his best for after the fight. Wearing his Fighting Nerds glasses for his interview with Joe Rogan (who also was wearing the white-tape glasses, courtesy of the Nerd team), Prates called for a spot on the UFC’s Oct. 11 card in Rio de Janeiro, a wish that was immediately granted by CEO Dana White. In making his request, Prates even offered up a name for the matchmakers to consider, calling out former welterweight champion Leon Edwards. Smart move. Having just knocked out a fighter in ESPN’s welterweight top 10, Prates now wants to move up to the top five. He’s ready. — Wagenheim
Prates dazzles during and after the knockout
