The world UFC stage turned into a massive talking point on Saturday night. Khamzat Chimaev grabbed his first title chance and dominated South Africa’s Dricus Du Plessis inside the octagon. He stayed ahead throughout the fight. In the very first minute, Chimaev took Du Plessis to the ground, and he repeated that move in every single round.
In the third round, he showed his power to the crowd. He landed over 156 strikes, more than Du Plessis. Across the whole fight, he landed 529 strikes, setting a UFC record. He controlled the fight for 21 minutes and 40 seconds. All three judges scored it 50-44, giving him the victory.
After the fight, he spoke. “I never plan. I just fight the way I train. This man is strong. I couldn’t finish him. But he has a lion’s heart. I respect him,” he said.
Born in Chechnya, Chimaev now holds a perfect record of 15-0-0. Illnesses and visa issues slowed his career, but support from Donald Trump helped him enter the U.S.
Today, the only name the UFC world speaks about is Khamzat Chimaev. He is now the new Middleweight King.
