Find out if three record-breaking performances were enough to lift an otherwise mundane UFC 319 card to the top half of the grading curve.

In the main event, Chimaev dominated Dricus du Plessis to claim the middleweight throne and remain undefeated in the sport. The key to victory was an ability to stay on top for five rounds, which many had doubted he could do in the lead-up.

Elliott (21-14-1 MMA, 10-11 UFC) upset Asakura (21-6 MMA, 0-2 UFC) with a second-round submission to open up the main card at United Center in Chicago. Elliott, a former flyweight title challenger, pulled the upset against the 3-1 favorite.

UFC 319 had all the makings of a blockbuster stacked card, highlight-reel finishes, and a main event with the kind of hype that doesn’t come around too often. And while the night delivered in spades with wild knockouts and nonstop action, the headliner left some fans grumbling.

UFC 319 and ESPN+: You can purchase a monthly subscription to ESPN+ and UFC 319 for $91.98, which includes your first month of ESPN+. An annual ESPN+ subscription and UFC 319 is also an option for $134.98.

Silva (19-5 MMA, 5-1 UFC) outworked Barbosa (8-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) for a unanimous decision on the preliminary card at United Center in Chicago. Although all three judges scored each round the same, the fans seemed to be surprised Silva got the nod – as did members of the ESPN broadcast crew.

Times have changed. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) boogeyman Khamzat Chimaev captured Middleweight gold at UFC 319 last night (Sat., Aug. 16, 2025) by completely dominating former 185-pound kingpin Dricus du Plessis,