Get ready for a high-stakes collision in Chicago this Saturday as UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis faces undefeated contender Khamzat Chimaev for the title at UFC 319. Du Plessis has won three straight fights with the title on the line but he faces his toughest test yet in Chimaev. Before the UFC 319 main event, continue reading to get my Dricus du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev prediction.
Our Dricus du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev Pick
- Pick: Khamzat Chimaev to win by submission
- Confidence: ★★★☆☆
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Tale of the Tape
| Dricus du Plessis | Khamzat Chimaev | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 31 | 31 |
| Reach | 76″ | 75″ |
| Stance | Switch | Orthodox |
| Record | 23-2-0 | 14-0-0 |
Dricus du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev Preview
Dricus du Plessis enters as a champion who has proven his ability to overcome elite fighters like Israel Adesanya, Sean Strickland, and Robert Whittaker. His unorthodox angles, relentless pressure, and constantly changing rhythm have made him dangerous in every phase of the fight game.
Chimaev is undefeated in his MMA career and is celebrated for his suffocating wrestling, ground control, and submissions. His quick finish of Whittaker via face-crank last October is a perfect example of what makes him great.
This fight will come down to whether or not du Plessis can keep himself upright against a gifted takedown artist in Chimaev. Chimaev averages over four takedowns per 15 minutes of fight time and his fights have rarely gone the distance. The fighter representing the UAE can win his first UFC title if he can get DDP off his feet and into his world.
Betting Insights
- DraftKings lists Chimaev as a −258 favorite and du Plessis at +210.
- The over/under for this fight is set at 2.5 rounds with both sides at -115. This implies that we could see a finish given that there is a maximum of five rounds to be contested here.
- Only two of Chimaev’s 14 career fights have seen the third round.
- Each of DDP’s three title fights have been decided in the fourth round or later.
Dricus du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev Prediction
This fight is interesting in that du Plessis is a fighter who is usually happy to go to the mat and use his grappling to win fights. He has 11 submission wins in his career but it’s hard to see him having the advantage in grappling exchanges with Chimaev. DDP is also a strong striker and has nine knockout wins in his MMA career. But it will take some great early striking for him to prevent Chimaev from getting him down here.
My best bet for this fight is for Chimaev to win via submission at around +130. Three of Chimaev’s last five wins have come by submission. As long as he doesn’t take any heavy shots in the early stages of this fight, I think his superior wrestling will be too much for du Plessis to deal with.
