
Mokaev faces Assis as 971FC gears up for blockbuster fight card
With 14 explosive bouts, elite fighters in the main and co-main events, and a headline live performance by hip-hop legend Lloyd Banks, this is more than a fight night – it's a cultural event.
This event is officially sold out, marking it as one of the most anticipated sporting spectacles of the year.
The spotlight shines bright as Muhammad Mokaev faces off against Thomas Assis in the main event, a thrilling bantamweight bout set to headline an action-packed fight night.
In a major shakeup, undefeated British-Dagestani phenom Mokaev (14-0) faces off against Brazilian submission expert with an 11-fight win streak Assis (12-2).
A former IMMAF world champion and UFC veteran, Mokaev is known for his relentless pressure and Olympic-level wrestling.
Assis, who hails from Coari in Brazil and trains out of RCT Coari, is riding a win streak and brings a gritty, aggressive grappling style that promises a chess match on the ground.
Russian powerhouse and sambo technician Raimond Magomedaliev (10-2) returns to action, looking to impose his dominant top game against seasoned Brazilian striker Andrey 'Mineiro' Augusto (17-9-1) in the co-main event.
Augusto is known for his durability and knockout power and will look to test the Russian's chin and composure under fire.
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Khaleej Times
6 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Khamzat Chimaev becomes UFC Middleweight champion, raises UAE flag after record-breaking win
Dubai-based fighter Khamzat Chimaev made history on Saturday night, capturing the UFC middleweight title at UFC 319 with a dominant unanimous decision win over Dricus Du Plessis. The 31-year-old, who received a UAE passport in February 2025, carried the nation's flag into the Octagon and celebrated with it after the judges awarded him a clean sweep with 50-44 scores across all three cards. With the victory, Chimaev extended his unbeaten record to 15-0. It was a proud moment for UAE, as Chimaev, although originally from the Chechen Republic, Russia, became the first Dubai-based fighter to capture a UFC championship, showcasing the nation's growing influence on global mixed martial arts. The fighter broke multiple UFC records in the process. According to ESPN, Chimaev landed 529 strikes — shattering Max Holloway's previous record of 447 set in 2021. Du Plessis, who entered as champion with a 23-2 record, was dropped within the first 10 seconds of the fight and remained on the defensive throughout. 'All credit to Khamzat,' the South African admitted post-fight. 'He beat me fair and square.' For now, Chimaev said he was more focused on celebrating with his team than on his next title defense. 'I'm going to go back to the hotel, joke with my friends and enjoy this victory,' he told reporters. Chimaev's triumph is seen as a landmark achievement for the UAE, which has hosted numerous UFC events in Abu Dhabi and positioned itself as a global hub for combat sports. Main Card Highlights Lerone Murphy (17-0-1) stayed unbeaten with a spinning back elbow knockout of Aaron Pico in the first round. Carlos Prates stunned Geoff Neal with a spinning back elbow knockout in the welterweight division, with just one second left in Round 1. Michael 'Venom' Page earned a unanimous decision win over Jared Cannonier after two knockdowns in their middleweight bout. Tim Elliott submitted Kai Asakura with a guillotine choke at 4:39 of Round 2 in their flyweight fight.


Al Etihad
8 hours ago
- Al Etihad
MMA: Relentless Chimaev beats du Plessis to win UFC middleweight title
17 Aug 2025 11:44 (REUTERS)Chechen-born wrestling specialist Khamzat Chimaev completely dominated Dricus du Plessis to win the UFC middleweight championship at UFC 319 on Saturday night, smothering the South African with his scored a unanimous decision victory on the judges' set the tone in the opening minute, shooting for an early takedown to bring the fight to the mat and pinning the South African in a crucifix position before raining punches with his left hand, but the blows did little damage and du Plessis two began in much the same fashion as the 31-year-old again brought the fight to the mat. This time he stuck to his opponent's back like a limpet to threaten with knee strikes and choke attempts, and Du Plessis was spent in the third and fourth rounds in similarly poor was a brief sliver of hope late in the final frame as du Plessis finally managed to get himself into a threatening position, but it was too little, too late, and Chimaev was declared the winner, with all three judges scoring the fight 50 to 44 in his favour."I never game-plan. I just came in, work like I do in the gym. That guy is strong, I couldn't finish, respect that guy, he's the only champion who was saying my name. This guy has real heart, a real lion, a real African lion," Chimaev said, the new championship belt around his Plessis took his dethroning with good grace before promising to win the title back. "He deserves this 100 percent, he beat me fair and square tonight. He was the better man tonight, and I'll be back. I'll come and get my belt back, but for now, it's his and he deserves it, and he has to enjoy it," he said.

The National
9 hours ago
- The National
Khamzat Chimaev parades UAE flag after dominating Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319
Khamzat Chimaev continued his unbeaten streak by capturing the middleweight title at UFC 319 on Saturday night with a unanimous decision over Dricus Du Plessis. Chimaev, who calls Dubai home and received a UAE passport in February 2025, dominated from start to finish and celebrated with the UAE flag as the decision was read out in Chicago. He said post-fight that he was open to returning for UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi on October 25 should UFC bosses wish to put him on the card. Addressing his move to the UAE, Chimaev said: 'I moved to a Muslim country, I felt most comfortable [there]. I fought there before and they always give me big support.' Chimaev (15-0) shot out of his corner in the first round with a takedown of Du Plessis (23-3) in the opening seconds and had his opponent on his back for almost the entire first round. Despite the ground control by Chimaev, Du Plessis avoided significant damage in the opening session. But Chimaev continued with takedowns in the second and third rounds. His grappling skills took their toll in the third, when Chimaev landed a series of blows while Du Plessis was on his back. Chimaev continued his ground game in the fourth round and was untroubled by a late rally from the South African in the fifth. 'That guy is tough to finish. Respect that guy. [Du Plessis] was the only champion to say 'I'm in'. This guy has a big heart,' said Chimaev of his opponent. Du Plessis showed some life late on with a takedown and an attempted guillotine, but it was too little too late. For most of the fight, it was a complete domination of the former champion. 'Nobody wants to be in a crucifix getting punched in the head like that. It's got to be the most frustrating, suck the heart and soul out of you ... Just getting dominated on the ground like the way he did is no fun for anybody,' UFC president Dana White said. All three judges scored the fight 50-44 in favour of Chimaev. 'At the end, I went for it, had the back. I can almost taste the victory. He beat me fair and square tonight, he was the better man tonight. I'll be back,' added Du Plessis. The UFC returned to Chicago for the first time in six years, making it the highest-grossing event at the United Center. The main card featured two spinning elbow first-round finishes by Carlos Prates and Lerone Murphy. In the co-main event, Murphy (17-0-1), who took the fight on three weeks' notice, held off an early rush from Aaron Pico (13-5) with a right spinning elbow to end Pico's night with a loss on his UFC debut in the featherweight division. Murphy, with his brilliant finish, put himself in pole position to face Alex Volkanovski for the title. Prates (22-7) won spectacularly in the first round with the ninth spinning elbow finish in UFC history by knocking out Geoff Neal (16-7), rebounding from his loss to Ian Machado Garry in April. It was the first time Neal suffered a knockout loss. White promised Prates a fight in his home country on October 11 in Rio de Janeiro. Michael Page (24-3) dropped Jared Cannonier (19-10) by knocking him down with a right hand in the first round and sent him back to the ground in the second with a combination to win by unanimous decision in a middleweight fight. Timothy Elliott (22-13-1) opened the five-fight main card with a guillotine finish in the second round over Kai Askura (21-6). Askura had his way with Elliott most of the first round by outstriking the veteran, but a late takedown in the first round changed the momentum, leading to an upset win for Elliott in the flyweight division.