Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is back on the pay-per-view (PPV) market (but it won’t be free…yet), as UFC 319 is set to go down later TONIGHT (Sat. Aug. 16, 2025) inside United Center in Chicago, Illinois on ESPN+. Headlining the event will be a Middleweight title fight as division champion, Dricus du Plessis, will defend against the boogeyman of the division, Khamzat Chimaev. In the co-main event, Aaron Pico will make his UFC debut against Lerone Murphy in what is sure-to-be a hard-hitting Featherweight affair.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 15: Dricus Du Plessis of South Africa poses on the scale during the UFC 319 ceremonial weigh-in at Radius Chicago on August 15, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
What UFC event is on tonight? UFC 319: “du Plessis vs. Chimaev”
Who is fighting tonight at UFC 319? Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev Middleweight title fight is the five-round main event.
What time does UFC 319? TONIGHT (Sat., Aug. 16, 2025), beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Where will UFC 319 take place? United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
How can I watch UFC 319? The early ESPN+ “Prelims” bouts scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, followed by the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
Where can I get UFC 319 updates and results? Get full UFC 319 play-by-play updates and live coverage here!
The night is finally upon us where we get to see du Plessis face off against Chimaev in one of the most highly-anticipated title fights in recent memory. While most of the buzz around this event is getting to see if “Borz” can fulfill his championship dreams after terrorizing the division, du Plessis wants to make it known that he is the headliner, he is the champion, and until someone can stop him it will remain that way. Currently on an 11-fight win streak, “Stillknocks” is undefeated inside the Octagon at 9-0 with two title defenses, including racking up huge wins over Sean Strickland (twice), Robert Whittaker, and Israel Adesanya. His unorthodox style makes him a human puzzle that has yet to be solved by UFC’s best, and it’s a strategy he will need against Chimaev, who is one of the most aggressive fighters in the game. A win for du Plessis will set him further apart from the pack and move him up the pound-for-pound rankings. And taking out the mythical being that is Chimaev, in the process, won’t hurt his stock, either.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 15: Khamzat Chimaev of Russia poses on the scale during the UFC 319 ceremonial weigh-in at Radius Chicago on August 15, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
Since making his UFC debut in 2020, Chimaev has only competed eight times, much to the chagrin of UFC officials and fans alike. But during that time, “Borz” has made the most of his experience inside the cage. From earning two finishes in his first two fights under the UFC banner 10 days apart, going to war with Gilbert Burns in an epic battle, manhandling Kevin Holland and busting up Robert Whittaker’s entire grill, Chimaev has made a big impression to say the least. That’s why he has quickly become a fan-favorite, an enigma of sorts, because people still don’t know how great he truly can be due to his inactivity. But that can all change tonight as the undefeated (17-0, 8-0 UFC) Chechen fighter can put the cherry on top of his terrorizing and violent run by wrapping UFC gold around his waist. He is one of the most aggressive and fast-paced fighters in the game, which may not be the best strategy against the champ. Why? Well, du Plessis has shown to have a great gas tank, and if Chimaev blows his load in the first round trying to get a finish, it could prove to be a long night for him because he’s never gone past the third round in his entire career. Still, this fight could prove to be an all-out slugfest that will be a feast for fight fans around the world. Buckle up.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 14: UFC President and CEO Dana White is seen on stage during the UFC 319 press conference at Radius Chicago on August 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
There really isn’t a whole lot to complain about when it comes to this card. It’s well-rounded from top to bottom (despite several changes), though perhaps adding another title fight would’ve been the cherry on top.
Original Card Vs. Actual Card:
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 07: Movsar Evloev of Russia looks on prior to a featherweight fight during UFC 310 at T-Mobile Arena on December 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images) Getty Images
Aaron Pico was in line to face Mosvar Evloev at this event before the promotion switched gears and matched him up against Lerone Murphy, instead. A women’s Flyweight bout between Karine Silva and JJ Aldrich was scheduled for this event before Aldrich withdrew for undisclosed reasons. She was ultimately replaced by Dione Barbosa, who is coming off a submission win over Diana Belbita. As for Silva, she saw her nine-fight win steak come to an end at the hands of Viviane Araujo in her last bout.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 08: King Green of the United States looks on before his lightweight fight during UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena on March 08, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) Getty Images
A last-minute injury suffered by King Green cancelled his fight against Diego Ferreira, which was set to be the featured fight on the undercard (read more about it here). Bryan Battle missed weight by four pounds, and as a result his scheduled fight against Nursulton Ruziboev was scratched. Also, a fight between Rodrigo Sezinando and Daniil Donchenko was axed due to a mysterious injury to one of the fighters.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 15: Aaron Pico poses on the scale during the UFC 319 ceremonial weigh-in at Radius Chicago on August 15, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
Speaking of Pico, the former Bellator MMA standout will finally get his chance to make his UFC debut after a small delay as a co-headliner on a major PPV card. Pico signed with the promotion this past April after Bellator MMA went belly up. Once touted as the best prospect in all of MMA, Pico got off to a rough start to his career, losing his MMA debut in 2017. Since then, Pico has been pretty steady with the wins (all under Bellator), going 13-4 with the promotion. He was never able to fight for Bellator gold, but he intends to make an impression right away in order to quickly infiltrate the Top 10 and expedite his shot at a title. He will have a stiff test in the form of undefeated contender, Lerone Murphy. “The Miracle” is 16-0-1 (8-0-1 UFC) and has proven to be one of the more promising rising stars at 145 pounds. With a win over Pico, he shoots up the rankings and his stick takes a tremendous boost to set him up for a potential title run. For Pico, handing Murphy his first loss will make an emphatic statement to the division. He just has to be careful he doesn’t suffer the same fate as his former Bellator stablemate.
How The ‘Prelims’ Look:
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 15: (L-R) Opponents Gerald Meerschaert and Michal Oleksiejczuk of Poland face off during the UFC 319 ceremonial weigh-in at Radius Chicago on August 15, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
Two struggling Middleweights will collide as Gerald Meerschaert (who was one of Chimaev’s early victims) will face off against Michal Oleksiejczuk. Meerschaert is currently on a two-fight losing streak, while Oleksiejczuk is 1-3 in his last four fights inside the Octagon, though he is coming off a much-needed win over Sedriques Dumas earlier this year at UFC 314 (see it again here).
Edson Barboza is still trucking along after 15 years with the promotion. His two-fight win streak came to an end after he ran into Lerone Murphy over a year ago. Now, he will look to shake off the ring rust in his comeback bout against Drakkar Klose, who saw his four-fight win streak evaporate into thin air after Joel Alvarez knocked him out late last year. Both men are in need of a win, and when you couple that with the fact that these two love to stand-and-bang, and we are all in for a treat.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 15: (L-R) Opponents Chase Hooper and Alexander Hernandez face off during the UFC 319 ceremonial weigh-in at Radius Chicago on August 15, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
Chase Hooper has quietly won five straight fights and is eying lucky No. 6 as he goes head-to-head against Alexander Hernandez. Hooper is really coming into his own after a rough stretch from 2020-2022, and another win could get him into the Top 15. As for Hernandez, he is searching for his first-ever three-fight win streak under the UFC banner, and stopping Hooper’s run will be a big boost for his career, which hasn’t really taken off.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 15: Jessica Andrade poses on the scale during the UFC 319 official weigh-in at Voco Chicago Downtown on August 15, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
Jessica Andrade was once sitting pretty at the top of the women’s Strawweight division as champion and considered one of the best pound-four-pound female fighters in the business. But ever since she ran into the juggernaut that is Zhang Weili over five years ago, her career has been all over the place. She has moved weight classes more times than I care to count, and has a record of 6-8 since 2019. She is currently on a two-fight skid, and if she comes up short against Loopy Godinez, she will be at a crossroads in her MMA career with a lot of questions to answer. Speaking of Loopy, she snapped her own two-fight skid in her previous fight by defeating Julia Polastri.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 15: (L-R) Opponents Jared Cannonier and Michael Page of England face off during the UFC 319 ceremonial weigh-in at Radius Chicago on August 15, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC)
In a fight who has the chance to steal the show, Michael Page will battle Jared Cannonier in a Middleweight bout. Page made the jump up to 185 pounds to avoid the politics at 170, defeating Sharabutdin Magomedov earlier this year. “Venom” has long been one of the flashiest and exciting fighters in all of MMA, and he is off to a great start to his UFC career by going 2-1, with his other win coming against Kevin Holland. If he can defeat a former title contender in Cannonier, Page shoots up the rankings and the fights and paychecks get bigger and bigger. He loves to show off hi striking skills, and Cannonier will be more than happy to test him in the standup department. “Killa Gorilla” is coming off a knockout win over Gregory Rodrigues (see it here), which snapped his two-fight losing streak. Do no be surprised if this fight produces post-fight bonus awards.
Carlos Prates’ momentum was halted in his last fight after running into Ian Machado Garry earlier this year, snapping his 11-fight win streak while suffering his first UFC loss after racking up four straight knockout wins inside the Octagon. Now, “The Nightmare” is out to start all over against Geoff Neal, who makes his return after a 10-month layoff following his stoppage win over Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 308.
Former UFC Flyweight title contender, Tim Elliott, is still trucking right along in his quest to one day reach another title fight. The 14-UFC fight veteran hasn’t been very consistent when it comes to racking up wins over the years, and has never won more than two straight inside the Octagon. He will once again look to secure his second straight win as he faces off against Kai Asakura, who is coming off a champions defeat at the hands of division king, Alexandre Pantoja, at UFC 310. Currently ranked No. 15, Asakura wants to work his way back to another shot at winning UFC gold, and defeating Elliott will be a good step toward that goal, in what will be the first-ever UFC win for the former RIZIN champion.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 14: (L-R) Opponents Dricus Du Plessis of South Africa and Khamzat Chimaev of Russia face off during the UFC 319 press conference at Radius Chicago on August 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
UFC 319 PPV Main Card (Start Time 10 p.m. ET):
185 lbs.: UFC Middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev
145 lbs.: Aaron Pico vs. Lerone Murphy (not Movsar Evloev)
170 lbs.: Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates
185 lbs.: Jared Cannonier vs. Michael Page
125 lbs.: Tim Elliott vs. Kai Asakura
UFC 319 Late ‘Prelims’ Under Card (Start Time 8 p.m. ET):
155 lbs.: King Green vs. Diego Ferreira — CANCELED (details here)
185 lbs.: Gerald Meerschaert vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk
115 lbs.: Jessica Andrade vs. Lupita Godinez
155 lbs.: Alexander Hernandez vs. Chase Hooper
155 lbs.: Edson Barboza vs. Drakkar Klose
UFC 319 Early ‘Prelims’ Under Card (Start Time 6:30 p.m. ET):
185 lbs.: Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Bryan Battle — CANCELED (details here)
125 lbs.: Karine Silva vs. Dione Barbosa
170 lbs.: Daniil Donchenko vs. Rodrigo Sezinando — CANCELED
125 lbs.: Alibi Idiris vs. Joseph Morales
185 lbs.: Baysangur Susurkaev vs. Eric Nolan
*Fight card, bout order and number of fights remain subject to change.*
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MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE CAR CRASH! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) continues its 2025 pay-per-view (PPV) schedule on Sat., Aug. 16, 2025, with a blockbuster title fight set to headline UFC 319 from inside United Center in Chicago, Illinois. In UFC 319’s PPV main event, Middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis, defends his title against undefeated No. 3-ranked contender, Khamzat Chimaev, in a high-stakes, five-round battle of unbeaten UFC records. UFC 319’s PPV co-main event features a Featherweight showdown between Lerone Murphy and promotional newcomer, Aaron Pico, a high-profile free-agent signing stepping in on short notice. UFC 319 will also showcase a Welterweight clash between Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates, a Middleweight bout pitting Jared Cannonier vs. Michael Page, a Flyweight matchup featuring Tim Elliott vs. Kai Asakura, and much more! UFC 319’s start time is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET (“Early Prelims”), 8 p.m. ET (“Prelims” undercard), and 10 p.m. ET (PPV main card)
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 319 fight card on fight night, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the UFC 319 PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 319: “Du Plessis vs. Chimaev” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. For the updated and finalized UFC 319 fight card and PPV lineup click here.
