It took a little longer than expected, but Khamzat Chimaev’s chance to vie for Ultimate Fighting Championship gold has arrived.
“Borz” will face reigning middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis in the UFC 319 headliner on Saturday at the United Center in Chicago. After beginning his promotional tenure at 170 pounds, Chimaev has found a home at middleweight.
The Chechen-born fighter took the MMA world by storm with a trio of dominant victories in 2020, and it seemed a lock that he would be fighting for a title in the near future.