On Saturday night, one of the most eagerly anticipated UFC Betting events takes place. UFC 319 will be held at the United Center in Chicago, IL, and offers a championship bout as its main event. Dricus Du Plessis will defend his middleweight title against the 3rd-ranked challenger, Khamzat Chimaev. In sum, there are five bouts on the main card with four ranked matchups and nine ranked combatants. It is a night not to be missed. Gambling action opened with intensity and with heavy handling. ESPN+ will provide full coverage of a top-quality card.
UFC 319 Du Plessis vs. Chimaev Middleweight Title Bout Main Card
| Date and Time: | Saturday, August 16, 2025, 10 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | United Center, Chicago, IL |
| TV Coverage: | ESPN+ |
Middleweight Title Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Dricus Du Plessis | +150 |
| Khamzat Chimaev | -180 |
Defending middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis has a career online betting record of 23-2. By contrast, Khamzat Chimaev is 14-00 for his career.
Dricus du Plessis is the first South African to win a UFC championship. Previously, he was a former rugby player. Also, de Plessis is a former rugby player. Initially, du Plessis won the UFC middleweight title on July 8, 2023. Specifically, he won a split decision against Sean Strickland in Toronto. Since then, he has successfully defended his title belt on two occasions. He won a 4th-round submission against Israel Adesanya on August 18, 2024, in Perth, Australia. And then on February 9, 2025, du Plessis won a unanimous decision against Strickland in Sydney.
Overall, du Plessis is ranked 4th in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings. Previously, he was a welterweight and middleweight champion in the Extreme Fighting championship. He is riding an 11-bout winning streak and has not lost a fight since 2018.
Meanwhile, Khamzat Chimaev will enter the biggest fight of his career. Specifically, the matchup with du Plessis is his first championship fight. Since joining the UFC in 2020, Chimaev has won all eight of his fights.
Last time out, Chimaev won a 1st-round submission against Robert Whittaker on October 26, 2024, in Abu Dhabi. Previously, on October 21, 2023, Chimaev won a majority decision against Kamaru Usman in Las Vegas. On September 10, 2022, Chimaev won a 1st-round submission against Kevin Holland in Las Vegas. On April 9, 2022, Chimaev won a unanimous decision against Gilbert Burns in Jacksonville. And then on October 30, 2021, Chimaev won a 1st-round technical submission against Li Jingliang in Abu Dhabi.
Featherweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Lerone Murphy | +120 |
| Aaron Pico | -140 |
Namely, Lerone Murphy has a career record of 16-0-1. Aaron Pico will be making his UFC debut in this matchup.
Welterweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Geoff Neal | +215 |
| Carlos Prates | -265 |
Goeff Neal has a career record of 16-6. Meanwhile, Carlos Prates has a career UFC Betting odds record of 21-7.
Middleweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jared Cannonier | +145 |
| Michael Page | -175 |
Jared Cannonier has a career record of 18-8. In turn, Michael Page is 23-3 for his career.
Flyweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tim Elliott | +230 |
| Kai Asakura | -280 |
In sum, Tim Elliott has a career record of 21-13-1. By contrast, Klai Asakura is 21-5 for his career.
UFC Fight Night SBG Free Picks
On this occasion, Dricus du Plessis makes for a compelling championship underdog. He brings the title belt and a proven record of excellence.
UFC Fight Night SBG Best Bets: Dricus de Plessis.