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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
UFC 319 predictions
Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev is as good as it gets. There are no perfect title challengers in MMA, but Chimaev comes close. Unbeaten and responsible for some of the most vicious in-cage maulings we've seen in the past five years, the enigmatic Chimaev seemed destined for a title shot when he burst onto the scene at UFC Fight Island. We've taken the long way around and now we're here, with Chimaev on the cusp of becoming middleweight champion if he can beat du Plessis in the UFC 319 main event. Even with Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev on the horizon, a superfight between Valentina Shevchenko and Zhang Weili perpetually in the works, the return of Tom Aspinall, and champions Ilia Topuria, Alexandre Pantoja, and Kayla Harrison potentially fighting before the end of the year, it's difficult to picture a matchup as viscerally pleasing on paper as du Plessis vs. Chimaev. These two are, by the strictest definition of the phrase, forces of nature, and tonight we have the privilege of watching them batter each other for upwards of 25 minutes. Let's be real, it probably won't last that long, with du Plessis and Chimaev unlikely to leave anything in the tank for the trip back. It's all or nothing in this championship fight and for us fans, we shouldn't want it any other way. What: UFC 319 Where: United Center in Chicago When: Saturday, Aug. 16. The three-fight early preliminary card begins at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and Disney+, followed by a four-fight preliminary card airing on ESPN, ESPN+ and Disney+ at 8 p.m. ET. The five-fight main card begins at 10 p.m. ET exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view. (Numbers in parentheses indicate standing in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings and Pound-for-Pound Rankings) Dricus du Plessis (1, P4P-5) vs. Khamzat Chimaev (2, P4P-13) Let's not overthink this because you know the fighters aren't. In the ultimate middleweight meathead battle, the narratives we've repeated ad nauseam since Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev was first announced have been prevalent for a reason. Du Plessis is an unorthodox fighter with a gift for outlasting and overwhelming his opposition. Chimaev is an absolute berserker that has to prove he can be just as effective in the championship rounds as he is in the first five minutes. It's simplistic because it's true. No one is saying du Plessis can't finish early, though Chimaev has proven to be tough as nails even when he can't turn a fight into one-way traffic. And while Chimaev has never gone past the 15-minute mark, it's not like he just turned into a sluggish zombie in the final rounds of his fights with Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns. Both guys are saying all the right things about defying expectations. But my vision is clear. I've said for years that when Chimaev is on, there isn't a soul in the world that can beat him in a fight, and I see no reason to deviate from that belief. Conventional wisdom says Chimaev wins in the first or second round and I'm going with that boring prediction—if you can call running through one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world 'boring,' that is. Pick: Chimaev Aaron Pico (10) vs. Lerone Murphy (9) This is going to sound incredibly silly considering Lerone Murphy just went five rounds with Josh Emmett and he previously whupped Edson Barboza, but I like Aaron Pico to win because he's the hardest hitter Murphy has ever faced. Let me finish. Pico seamlessly blends power, speed, and technique and at 28 he is right in the middle of his athletic prime. 'Explosive' doesn't do the onetime wunderkind justice. He owns a left hand of doom and relishes utilizing punishing body work to break down his opponents' defenses. His standup offense is impeccable and if he chooses to mix in some wrestling, even better. There is the question of quality of competition though. What is Pico's best win? Leandro Higo? Pedro Carvalho? Henry Corrales??? No matter who you pick, Murphy is a huge step up. Essentially the Leon Edwards of the featherweight division, Murphy won't wow you with his one-punch KO power, nor will he jump into exchanges unless he knows they're in his favor. What he does is win, whether it's with precision combinations, airtight defense, or even well-timed takedowns. You can bet he won't be afraid to test Pico's wrestling defense. All good things must come to an end and it feels like the UFC keeps booking Murphy against sluggers in the hopes one of them will push the pesky contender a few steps back in the line. If Pico can become the first fighter to defeat Murphy, and do so by finish, he won't just break the Bellator curse, he might become the No. 1 contender at 145 pounds overnight. Pick: Pico Geoff Neal (11) vs. Carlos Prates Carlos Prates is so dangerous, man. Even with time ticking away in his recent loss to Ian Machado Garry, the Brazilian's dynamite striking was an ever-present threat, and if he'd only found an opening to unleash earlier he might still be riding a win streak. As it stands, there are clear holes in Prates' game. But holes that Geoff Neal can exploit? I'm skeptical. Neal is comfortable playing the spoiler, especially against strikers that are more hyped than he is. Vicente Luque and Mike Perry are two examples, both of whom fell to Neal's fists and feet. He might be playing with fire if he chooses to stand and strike with Prates, but he's capable of putting on a scorching performance himself if he can get his rhythm and distance right. I think Prates learned a lot going five rounds with Garry, especially about pacing and managing his output. He'll pressure Neal more as the fight progresses, leaving him few options other than to throw down with his back to the fence. And that's when Prates will add Neal to his highlight reel. Pick: Prates Jared Cannonier (11) vs. Michael Page I still don't know why this fight is happening and I don't expect to be any less confused when it's over. Given that Jared Cannonier is currently stuck in middleweight limbo, I suppose this matchup makes a sick sort of sense as there can't be much motivating Cannonier at this point other than collecting a nice paycheck and continuing do what he loves. That's true of Michael Page as well and the former Bellator star has essentially admitted he's only booking fights at 185 pounds because they're available. Two dudes just staying busy. Not exactly the stuff of legends and that's OK. What's not OK here is a styles clash that could have the always vocal Chicago crowd expressing their displeasure in no uncertain terms. Cannonier isn't going to chase Page, and Page is going to do everything he can to stay at the edge of Cannonier's heavier punches. Opportunities for meaningful exchanges will be few and far between. Points will add up, one probing strike at a time. You're dozing off just reading this, I know. In a touch-and-go fight, I'm favoring 'MVP' every time. It would be fun to see him get back to his viral knockout ways, but competing in a heavier division than he's used to, he'll happily settle for the decision win. Pick: Page Tim Elliott vs. Kai Asakura Speed, youth, and punching power are all on Kai Asakura's side in the main card opener. While I'd much prefer Asakura to make a permanent move to 135 pounds, he's apparently sticking around at flyweight and he booked himself the right opponent in Tim Elliott. The tricky grappler is more well-known than Asakura stateside (currently No. 11 in the UFC's 125-pound rankings) and his ground game should give us a gauge of where Asakura stands in the division after being handled by champion Alexandre Pantoja. Asakura might turn out to not be a top 5 fighter, but surely he's better than what he showed in his UFC debut. Elliott will try to drag Asakura to the mat as soon as possible, so Asakura's takedown defense and cardio will be put to the test. If Asakura keeps this fight standing, he wins; if he doesn't, Elliott either wears Asakura out for three rounds or adds to his submission woes. There's no in between. I'll lean towards the considerably younger fighter here and pick Asakura to get back on the knockout track. Pick: Asakura Preliminaries Baysangur Susurkaev def. Eric Nolan Gerald Meerschaert def. Michal Oleksiejczuk Loopy Godinez (11) def. Jessica Andrade (5) Chase Hooper def. Alexander Hernandez Drakkar Klose def. Edson Barboza Karine Silva def. Dione Barbosa Joseph Morales def. Idiris Alibi
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Best value bets for UFC 319: Khamzat Chimaev vs. Dricus du Plessis
Finally. That must be what most MMA fans are thinking with Khamzat Chimaev getting his first title shot. Having burst onto the scene early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Chimaev benefited from the strange dynamics that affected global sports at that time. He made his debut on 'Fight Island,' the UFC's initial solution to creating a 'sports bubble' to allow competitions. Chimaev was dominant in his debut and was quickly rebooked for another Fight Island card, setting a UFC mark for fastest turnaround in just 10 days. He would go on to earn performance bonuses in each of his first five appearances, and thus the legend was solidified. Given his rapid rise and dominant performances, it's perhaps surprising it has taken this long to earn a title shot. But mixed in along the way were injuries, fight cancellations and eventually a change in weight class. Here we are, finally. Time to see if the hype train reaches the top of the mountain, or if the established champion gets to play one of the biggest spoilers in recent history. Here are my best bets for UFC 319, which takes place Saturday at the United Center in Chicago. Khamzat Chimaev (-210) vs. Dricus Du Plessis (+170) Every Chimaev fan knows he's an undefeated freak. And though he's 8-0 in the UFC, far fewer know du Plessis is actually 9-0 in the UFC over slightly less time and against — on average — heavier opponents. But streaks are less important than performance metrics, which is what I'll rely on when evaluating the matchup. I just find it interesting Chimaev has been a massive favorite in all of his UFC appearances, while DDP has quietly accomplished more as a pick 'em or underdog in plenty of his fights. Chimaev's statistics are extremely good, with just one odd exception of not avoiding punches. When you're that good, I guess defending punches matters less. But when lining these two up for comparison, I also would make Chimaev the favorite. Yet the current odds of roughly 2-to-1 for Chimaev are just a touch high for me, given the dogged wins DDP has earned against elite middleweights. The first big question will be how Chimaev's first takedown attempt goes. We shouldn't have to wait long, as he attempts one takedown every 48 seconds while standing. DDP's takedown defense is below average at just 50%, though he's only faced six attempts over nine fights. Perhaps opponents have avoided testing him on the mat out of respect. Chimaev has never been controlled on the ground — not even for one second — but his only two fights to go to the cards have been against established grapplers (Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman), so that's where I think the best angle is. DDP has used his grappling in most of his fights, and more often in his title fight appearances. His ground game may not turn the fight to his favor, but it could be enough to survive the early onslaught from Chimaev and potentially force later rounds. While the analytics suggest a bit of value on DDP with such a clear plus-money return, I'm still wary he has simply taken advantage of opponents who were predominantly single-threat strikers during his title run. Facing his toughest ground threat to date gives me pause on the very slight lean toward the 'dog, though I'm left hoping DDP does indeed outperform and takes the fight over 2.5 rounds. Best bets: du Plessis or pass, over 2.5 rounds Chase Hooper (-285) vs. Alexander Hernandez (+225) Chimaev isn't the only elite grappler on the card. Chase Hooper has matured inside the Octagon, recently dominating one of the most seasoned wrestlers of all time in Jim Miller. Hooper is another fighter who wastes little time between takedown attempts, and while Hernandez has above-average defense, it's likely a matter of time before he gets taken down. That scenario has me checking two important metrics for Hernandez that could be countermeasures against an overly assertive grappler: knockdown power and submissions. Unfortunately for Hernandez, he's below average in both of those metrics. The most likely scenario is Hooper will pursue, using strikes as a setup for takedowns — and once there, keeping the fight there. Hernandez's best chance is a counter against Hooper's poor head-strike defense. Hooper has been dropped four times, but three came in one fight he lost by TKO, and the other was in a fight he went on to win. So I like Hooper to remain resilient and put the fight on the ground where he can backpack his way to victory. Best bet: Hooper to win (-285) Edson Barboza (-150) vs. Drakkar Klose (+125) This matchup ultimately will be a striker versus grappler dynamic, featuring one of the most prolific knockout artists in UFC history returning to the Octagon for his 31st appearance. With 16 career knockdowns, Barboza's knockdown rate is much higher than the UFC average, and he's scored those knockdowns via impressive and diverse methods. Klose looks average on paper and is unlikely to want to stand and trade (or eat leg kicks) for long. He'll be undersized and outranged against Barboza, even more reason for Klose to change levels. Klose's roots are in wrestling, but his takedown success rate is below average, while Barboza's defense has been solid against over 100 career takedown attempts from opponents. Overall, these factors back Barboza as a worthy favorite. Let's hope he still has enough left in the tank for what is likely his last fight before turning 40. Best bet: Barboza to win (-150) Michal Oleksiejczuk (-225) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (+185) The stats here scream finish, one way or the other, in yet another striker versus grappler matchup. Oleksiejczuk is an understandable favorite, given all his advantages on the feet. With superior accuracy and knockdown power, Meerschaert's loose defense and aging and damaged chin are clear ingredients for a striking finish. However, Meerschaert has been here before and knows he needs to get this fight to the mat. Luckily for him, his opponent's takedown defense is poor, and he has a glaring weakness defending submissions. That combination of factors means we could see a Meerschaert submission prop past +300. You might use 'Does Not Go the Distance' in a chalk-filled parlay, but also shop for maximum return on a small upset submission play. Best bet: Meerschaert-Oleksiejczuk under 1.5 rounds
USA Today
09-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC announces Qatar will host Fight Night event this November
The UFC is breaking new ground in the Middle East. Promotion officials announced Wednesday that the UFC is heading to Doha, Qatar for a Fight Night event on Nov. 22. No bouts were included in the announcement. Qatar will mark the third country in the Middle East that the UFC visits. Abu Dhabi has played host to some of the biggest events in company history, including the historic "Fight Island" cards during COVID-19. Two UFC Fight Night events have been held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – most recently this past February when Nassourdine Imavov knocked out Israel Adesanya in the UFC Fight Night 250 main event. The UFC's next stop in the Middle East comes later this month when Robert Whittaker meets Reinier de Ridder in the UFC on ABC 9 headliner July 26 from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Al Etihad
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Al Etihad
UFC Fight Night: Whittaker takes on rising star Reinier de Ridder at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi
8 July 2025 22:47 ABU DHABI (WAM)UFC, the world's premier mixed martial arts organisation, in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), returns to the UAE capital with an epic middleweight fight as No.5 ranked Robert Whittaker takes on rising star Reinier de Ridder on Saturday, July 26, at the Etihad years ago to the day — July 26, 2020 — Robert Whittaker headlined the final card of the original Fight Island series, defeating Darren Till in a near-empty arena during the coronavirus pandemic. Now, he is set to return to Abu Dhabi on the same date, in front of a roaring crowd, chasing another moment of glory in a place that defined his career.
