Times have changed. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) boogeyman Khamzat Chimaev captured Middleweight gold at UFC 319 last night (Sat., Aug. 16, 2025) by completely dominating former 185-pound kingpin Dricus du Plessis,

Robert Whittaker defends Khamzat Chimaev’s dominant performance over Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 against fans who called it boring.

UFC 319 had all the makings of a blockbuster stacked card, highlight-reel finishes, and a main event with the kind of hype that doesn’t come around too often. And while the night delivered in spades with wild knockouts and nonstop action, the headliner left some fans grumbling.

Agreeing with that sentiment is Morne Visser, Du Plessis’ head coach, who just a day removed from losing the title at UFC 319, has slammed Chimaev’s performance.

Elliott (21-14-1 MMA, 10-11 UFC) upset Asakura (21-6 MMA, 0-2 UFC) with a second-round submission to open up the main card at United Center in Chicago. Elliott, a former flyweight title challenger, pulled the upset against the 3-1 favorite.

There are certain nights in the UFC where it feels like the sport shifts gears, and UFC 319 was one of them. After five years of hype, chaos and anticipation, Khamzat Chimaev finally claimed the undisputed middleweight crown and he did it in a way that suggested this might just be the beginning of a long, dominant era.

After Asakura was choked out by Alexandre Pantoja in his immediate title shot on debut last December, the Japanese star was looking to begin his path back to the 125-pound gold by notching a first UFC win that many were expecting for him on August 16.

On the latest episode of "Spinning Back Clique" our expert panelists review Khamzat Chimaev's big title win, PFL results and more.