We’re just a month away from what many are calling the most anticipated UFC fight of 2025.
Dricus du Plessis is set to put his middleweight title on the line against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319, with the bout taking place on 16 August in Chicago.
Both fighters have unblemished records in the UFC. Du Plessis has racked up wins over Israel Adesanya, two victories over Sean Strickland, and a win against Robert Whittaker. Chimaev earned his shot at the belt after consecutive victories over former champions Kamaru Usman and Whittaker.
The match-up between these two unbeaten fighters is one of the more intriguing stylistic clashes we’ve seen in a while. Du Plessis brings an unorthodox yet well-rounded game, while Chimaev’s wrestling and grappling skills are among the best in the division.
A former champion who has trained with both men recently weighed in on how he sees it playing out.
Luke Rockhold questions Khamzat Chimaev’s stamina ahead of UFC 319
Luke Rockhold, who used to hold the UFC middleweight belt, isn’t sure if du Plessis can handle Chimaev’s pressure early on.
“He’s a f—— beast,” Rockhold told Submission Radio. “He’s a wrestler. He’s a grappler. He’s gonna get relentless pressure. He’s gonna start fast and hard.”
“Can Dricus take [those] first two rounds? That’s what life’s about for his opponents.”
“Can he withstand the barrage? Because he’s gonna break you…”
If du Plessis does survive those opening rounds, though, Rockhold isn’t confident in Chimaev holding up.
Chimaev hasn’t been in the cage long enough to see the later rounds. He’s only made it as far as the third round twice, both times picking up decision wins over Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman.
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“I don’t like those opportunities for him. I’ve trained with DDP a lot. He’s tough. He ain’t gonna go away,” he added.
“You gotta dominate him from start to finish, or you gotta finish him early. I just don’t see how Khamzat’s gonna keep that pressure. His intensity, you can only keep that for so long. That’s not five round material,” Rockhold claimed.
“DDP is tough. He’s tough as f—— hell. People don’t give him a lot of credit. He’s just awkward. He’s got weird timing and rhythm and he’s good. He mixes it up. He’s very confident. He’s got good grappling, decent wrestling, and some funky a— striking, but it f—— works.”
Luke Rockhold set for boxing debut against Darren Till on August
Luke Rockhold, a former UFC and Strikeforce titleholder, is gearing up for a return – this time in boxing. He’s slated to face ex-UFC rival Darren Till in the main event of Misfits Boxing 22 on 30 August.
This will be Rockhold’s first professional boxing bout. The 40-year-old previously competed in bare-knuckle boxing, losing to Mike Perry in his post-UFC debut in 2023. More recently, he scored a TKO victory over Joe Schilling at Karate Combat 45 in April 2024.
Till, meanwhile, is a former UFC title challenger and a training partner of Khamzat Chimaev. He brings a perfect 3-0 boxing record into the fight.
The event will also feature former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson making his first post-UFC appearance against influencer Salt Papi.
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