Khamzat Chimaev dominates Dricus Du Plessis to claim UFC middleweight title

Khamzat Chimaev didn’t just beat Dricus Du Plessis. He broke him down piece by piece across five relentless rounds to walk out of UFC 319 with the middleweight title.

The fight wasn’t close. Judges scored it 50-44 on all three cards, a rare sweep at championship level. Chimaev, still undefeated at 15-0, scored more than 10 takedowns and spent long stretches on top, grinding Du Plessis against the cage, mixing in knees and punches, and never giving him a chance to breathe.

By the fourth round, Du Plessis, 31, looked spent. He managed one late flurry, a desperate push for offense, but it fizzled before it landed. The South African’s record slips to 23-3, and his title run ends after two defenses.

Chimaev, also 31, was blunt in victory. 'Happy, happy always,' he told the crowd, before joking with UFC president Dana White about saving his money. He also tipped his cap to the man he had just dismantled, calling Du Plessis 'strong to the finish' with 'great heart.'

The win marks the fifth time in less than three years the middleweight belt has changed hands, a revolving door in a division once dominated by long-reigning champions. Whether Chimaev can bring stability is the next big question.