UFC 319: Du Plessis vs Chimaev fight prediction and odds

The United Center in Chicago will host UFC 319 on August 16, and Dricus du Plessis will try to defend his middleweight championship belt against Khamzat Chimaev. This is the third title defence for the South African, who previously beat Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland. Chimaev, ranked third in the division, will fight for the UFC title for the first time in his career.

MightyTips' experts make a Chimaev vs du Plessis prediction, discussing the main event participants, analysing their keys to victory, and looking for the best betting spots. We took the odds from our well-known and trusted partner, bet365.

As the odds on Chimaev to win suggest, the bookies see him as the clear favourite of the upcoming bout. Borz can be had at 1.50, while the odds on Dricus du Plessis winning lie at 2.70. If talking about the most likely outcome of the fight 7-way, the bookmakers believe that Chimaev will win via submission at 2.70.

The fighters are very similar to each other. Both are 31 years of age and fight out of an orthodox stance. Chimaev is two inches taller than du Plessis; however, the defending champion will have a one-inch reach advantage.

Khamzat Chimaev is an excellent grappler known for his relentless fighting style, which is a mix of dominant wrestling and powerful striking. He excels at closing the distance quickly and dragging opponents to the mat with ground-and-pound or submission threats. Chimaev's aggression and confidence often break opponents mentally before they can establish their game.

His primary strengths lie in elite wrestling and physical strength. However, there were moments of recklessness in his previous bouts, especially against Gilbert Burns, when Chimaev was drawn into wild exchanges. On another note, we don't know much about his cardio, as he went past the second round just twice in his career. Chimaev's inactivity in recent years might be another problem.

Chimaev's key to victory is using his wrestling early to neutralise Du Plessis' explosive striking and avoid a stand-up battle. Controlling the pace, managing energy, and preventing defensive lapses will be critical. If Chimaev can maintain composure and dictate the grappling exchanges, he has a clear path to victory by decision or a finish on the ground.

Chimaev's last fights

Dricus du Plessis has an unorthodox, high-pressure fighting style that combines powerful striking with underrated grappling. Known for his awkward rhythm and explosive bursts, Du Plessis thrives in chaotic exchanges, using his strength and tenacity to overwhelm opponents. He's very durable and unpredictable, thriving in deep waters and finding a second wind as fights progress.

His biggest strengths are the knockout power, resilience, and ability to adapt mid-fight. Du Plessis' cardio has improved significantly, allowing him to maintain pressure across five rounds. However, his striking defence can be sloppy, and he's still vulnerable to well-timed takedowns.

Du Plessis must weather the early storm and keep the fight standing. His key to victory lies in creating scrambles, stuffing takedowns, and capitalising on Chimaev's tendency to fade in later rounds. If he's able to drag Chimaev into deep waters and land heavy shots, Du Plessis has a real chance of even finishing the fight.

Du Plessis' last fights

With all due respect to the defending champion, we believe he's yet to face a fighter with such incredible power. Two factors make us slightly doubt Chimaev's victory - his recent inactivity and the cardio, which hasn't been tested yet. Still, we believe that he will be able to take du Plessis down to the mat and find a finish. The longer the fight goes, the better for the Stillknocks, as he might wear Chimaev down. However, we predict that Chimaev will win and the fight goes under 2.5 rounds at 2.40.