Overview
- UFC 319 takes place tonight at Chicago’s United Center, with preliminaries on Fox Sports/Fox Sports 2 and the main card on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass, while Disney+ Premium streams the full event in Argentina.
- Reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis (23–2) won the 185-lb belt in January 2024 and has since defended it successfully against Israel Adesanya and twice against Sean Strickland.
- Khamzat Chimaev arrives undefeated at 14–0 with 12 finishes, last seen subduing Robert Whittaker in October 2024, but his recent weight-cut and health concerns loom over his title bid.
- Co-main attractions include Lerone Murphy vs Aaron Pico, Geoff Neal vs Carlos Prates, Jared Cannonier vs Michael Page and Tim Elliott vs Kai Asakura, offering pivotal matchups across multiple divisions.
- A Du Plessis victory would extend his third middleweight defense, while a win for Chimaev would deliver his first UFC title and upend the division’s hierarchy.