United Centre in Chicago on August 16, 2025, will echo far beyond the arena, all the way back to South Africa, where a whole nation watches its champion, Dricus “Stillknocks” Du Plessis, defend its title at UFC 319 against the undefeated Chechen challenger – Khamzat “Borz” Chimaev.
While DDP is not just a fighter here in South Africa but the first Mzansi to ever hold the belt in the organisation, the main event is highly anticipated all around the world. While du Plessis enters the cage as a proven champion and warrior, Chimaev comes with an aura of invincibility because of his dominant performance prior to this event.
This article will break down the key elements that make this match so thrilling.
The Middleweight Legacy of Stillknocks
For Dricus, this fight is an opportunity to cement his place in the elite of the UFC’s middleweight division. A victory against Chimaev will mark his third successful title defence, which will put him in the elite club of champions like Israel Adesanya, Anderson Silva, and Crhirs Weidman.
His journey to this point has been a historic one – he was crowned as the first-ever UFC champion from South Africa after a five-round spectacle against Sean Strickland at UFC 297. He has since proven himself by beating two of the greatest fighters in the division – Israel Adesanya, who has five title defences as a champion of the same division, and a rematch with Sean Strickland.
Meanwhile, Khamzat Chimaev’s career has been explosive, and he has rushed through the rankings, scoring a perfect 14-0-0 professional record. Borz has built a reputation as a terrifying finisher with impeccable grappling skills. He earned his title shot with an unparalleled first-round face-crank submission of the former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. The victory at UFC 308 was so decisive that it dislocated Whittaker’s jaw and dislodged several teeth.
For both fighters the stake is huge – to prove dominance at the highest level. For du Plessis, this is entirely a legacy fight, while Chimaev will try to validate his unbeaten record and get the hold of his first UFC belt.
A Stylistic Breakdown
This championship bout is the perfect example of a clash of fighting styles. Du Plessis is an example of a marathon runner. His style is built on relentless pressure, a high volume of strikes, and an insane cardio level. Its style is everything but a textbook – he utilises his athleticism to stay at long range. And while many MMA analysts find his approach abnormal and inelegant, it is extremely effective.
On the other side, what describes Chimaev best is a sprinter. He aims for violent finishes, and his style is firmly based on his Freestyle Wrestling background. Nine out of his 14 professional fights have ended with a first-round finish. Chimaev’s grappling game was described as “technically sound, perfect, correct” by the former UFC and ONE flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. Chimaev is really good at closing the distance, securing takedowns and submissions in a clinch, and keeping the pressure, leaving no room for the opponent to leave his grip. However, there is one major flaw in his approach that can be exactly what Dricus need to secure the win – his cardio. The fight against Kamaru Usman (which Chimaev won by decision) left some doubts about his stamina. Even after the second round, the Chechen looked exhausted and barely breathing. This raises questions about his ability to perform in a 5-round championship bout.
Dricus Awkward Style: His Hidden Weapon
Dricus du Plessis’s fighting style has been a topic of debate and criticism. His movement is jerky, his punches usually connect at weird angles, and some of his takedowns look more like tackles. While many have named his approach sloppy and even ineffective, Dricus and his team have stated that this is just their strategy. What appears to be chaos in the octagon is a calculated high-volume system of shots to all areas, putting constant forward pressure and quick level changes to disrupt the opponent’s rhythm and timing.
While du Plessis’s style is not pretty, it has proven to be unpredictable enough to leave his opponents puzzled in the middle of the round, pushing them to make mistakes, which he can then take advantage of.
Betting on The Underdog
Going into UFC319, du Plessis is in a familiar position – as the underdog. The betting odds place Khamzat as a heavy favourite based on his dominant performance However, this isn’t new for the current champ. He has been the outsider multiple times in his career, and even then, he succeeded in securing wins.
“Stillknocks” is confident that his high-output, marathon-style fighting perfectly counters Chimaev’s sprints. He has stated that his strategy is to wear down and ultimately force Chimaev to quit.
This self-belief, combined with a style developed to exploit his opponent’s potential weaknesses over five rounds, makes du Plessis a dangerous underdog who is definitely capable of retaining his championship title.
