The middleweight championship is up for grabs at Saturday’s UFC 319. Champion Dricus du Plessis will likely be placing the title on the road in opposition to prime challenger Khamzat Chimaev within the evening’s fundamental occasion.
Du Plessis entered the UFC with an ungainly type that appeared to mark him as a enjoyable fighter destined for the center of the UFC’s middleweight rankings. As a substitute, he turned that awkward type right into a puzzle that opponents haven’t been in a position to determine, happening a run that features wins over a number of former champions, together with two profitable title defenses.
Chimaev ripped by means of the competitors in his first few UFC bouts, instantly making himself into a person many believed was destined for UFC gold. Chimaev has needed to battle by means of accidents, diseases and journey points to lastly get his crack at a title and now seems to make good when he faces du Plessis in Chicago.
UFC 319 predictions, greatest bets, odds: Dricus du Plessis, Aaron Pico amongst prime picks to think about
Brent Brookhouse
With a lot taking place on Saturday evening, let’s look nearer on the full struggle card with the newest odds earlier than we get to our employees predictions and picks for the PPV portion of the festivities.
UFC 319 struggle card, odds
- Khamzat Chimaev -220 vs. Dricus du Plessis (c) +180, middleweight title
- Aaron Pico -195 vs. Lerone Murphy +165 featherweights
- Carlos Prates -260 vs. Geoff Neal +210, welterweights
- Michael Web page -180 vs. Jared Cannonier +150, middleweights
- Kai Asakura -300 vs. Tim Elliot +240, flyweights
- Baisangur Susurkaev -950 vs. Eric Nolan +625, middleweights
- Michal Oleksiejczuk -220 vs. Gerald Meerschaert +180, middleweights
- Crazy Godinez -150 vs. Jessica Andrade +125, ladies’s strawweights
- Chase Hooper -330 vs. Alexander Hernandez +260, lightweights
- Edson Barboza -160 vs Drakkar Klose +135, lightweights
- Karine Silva -230 vs. Dione Barbosa +190, ladies’s flyweights
- Alibi Idiris -455 vs. Joseph Morales +350, flyweights
With such a large fundamental occasion on faucet, the crew at CBS Sports activities went forward with predictions and picks for the principle card. Listed below are your decide makers: Brent Brookhouse (Fight sports activities author), Brian Campbell (Fight sports activities author), Shakiel Mahjouri (author), Michael Mormile (producer) and Brandon Smart (senior editor).
UFC 319 picks, predictions
| Du Plessis (c) vs. Chimaev | Du Plessis | Du Plessis | Du Plessis | Du Plessis | Chimaev |
| Pico vs. Murphy | Pico | Pico | Murphy | Murphy | Murphy |
| Prates vs. Neal | Prates | Prates | Prates | Prates | Prates |
| Web page vs. Cannonier | Cannonier | Cannonier | Web page | Web page | Web page |
| Asakura vs. Elliott | Asakura | Asakura | Asakura | Asakura | Asakura |
Du Plessis vs. Chimaev
Campbell: The environment friendly and violent dominance proven by Chimaev in at the least six of his eight UFC bouts make it comprehensible that he could be the betting favourite, particularly after his current first-round dismantling of former champion Robert Whittaker. However Chimaev’s run hasn’t been with out stunning inconsistency at occasions, whether or not that be contained in the cage, lacking weight or preventing simply as soon as in three of the final 4 years due accidents, diseases and visa points. Till du Plessis fails to determine a path to victory in opposition to one other elite opponent, it stays troublesome to rely him out, particularly if this struggle goes into the championship rounds, the place Chimaev (who pale in Spherical 3 of his 2022 win over Kamaru Usman) has by no means been. DDP will should be cautious on the bottom, for certain. However he is superb to nice in each class and is aware of methods to win shut fights.
Brookhouse: There isn’t any doubt that Chimaev is a novel animal. He takes guys down and rips by means of their defenses with regularity. However he additionally hasn’t proven the best cardio when he is been pushed previous the primary spherical. If there’s one factor du Plessis has, it is a deep fuel tank, even when he seems like he is tiring. Du Plessis brings an ungainly type that enables him to throw opponents off and he simply does not cease coming ahead because the struggle wears on. So long as du Plessis can get by means of the primary spherical, he ought to have the ability to begin being the person deciding the tempo of the struggle and that is the place he can take over.
Mahjouri: Du Plessis is an anomaly. He is error inclined, however sturdy and properly rounded sufficient that his errors aren’t deadly. Conversely, his marauding strategy forces opponents to make deadly errors. We have seen Chimaev battle when fighters match his stamina and physicality. If Chimaev does not end early, and if his cardio is not revolutionized, he is in for a protracted evening. It will be shut, however I predict a robust again half will get Du Plessis the choice.
Pico vs. Murphy
Campbell: It is no secret to anybody that UFC has huge plans for Pico after the promotion was fortunate to grab him out of free company after PFL parted methods with the previous Bellator MMA uber prospect. Pico is way from an ideal fighter, however he does the whole lot extraordinarily properly and appears to have put his early losses behind him. Murphy, who changed fellow unbeaten Movsar Evloev on late discover, is a technical fighter with loads of ability however he has constantly lacked that additional gear to propel himself out of the pack of title contenders. If Pico goes to lastly capitalize on his insane potential, now could be the time at age 28 in his long-awaited UFC debut. Ought to Pico get the win, a title shot is probably going so as. All he has to do is stay accountable defensively and look to construct off the specter of his wrestling by chopping off the cage and making Murphy pay.
Brookhouse: Murphy is an effective fighter who finds methods to win, however he’ll battle to cope with the other ways Pico can assault. Pico’s boxing is sharp and his wrestling is elite. Murphy is a striker first, however he must be anxious about Pico’s takedowns, which may gradual his assault. And when he is anxious about takedowns, Murphy will likely be open to Pico’s boxing. Pico is simply too well-rounded to choose in opposition to on this one.
Mahjouri: I am selecting in opposition to my preliminary winner, Murphy. I instinctively picked Murphy, believing his long-term preparation for wrestlers would let his putting flourish. Then I noticed his UFC takedown protection stats: 54%. Pico has nice energy in his arms, however going strike for strike with Murphy is a mistake. The UFC debutant ought to use boxing to arrange frequent takedowns. Murphy had three weeks to arrange for UFC 319. If Pico could make Murphy work, he’ll fatigue him by the top of Spherical 2. Pico by way of determination.
Prates vs. Neal
Campbell: Prates, the cigarette smoking, Brazilian slugger, gained his first 4 UFC fights by stoppage earlier than enduring a heat-check second in April when he misplaced a five-round determination to prime contender Ian Machado Garry. The dangerous information was that Prates was dominated by his extra technical foe for the primary two-thirds of the struggle. The excellent news, nevertheless, is that he rallied late to almost earn a dramatic stoppage. Prates has been mature vocally this week about what went unsuitable as he blamed his personal lack of ability to comply with the gameplan as he adopted Garry round. Whereas Neal is a tricky veteran who all the time has a puncher’s likelihood to win, Prates has the velocity, quantity and energy to present him issues and greater than sufficient motivation to recapture the excitement he as soon as had coming into the Garry struggle.
Brookhouse: It appears like essentially the most you may say for Neal coming into this struggle is that he has a puncher’s likelihood. Neal can pop, although, so he is a dwell canine. Prates is an amazing power when he is on his sport and the loss to Ian Machado Garry doubtless pressured him to reset his sport and be taught to not drift into passivity as he did at occasions in that bout. That is doubtless going to be a protracted evening for Neal, or a brief one if Prates does what he does greatest.
Mahjouri: Neal has taken some critical harm. His energy is an immediate gamechanger, however Prates quantity and energy will stop him from settling in. Towards Garry, Prates was outsmarted and out expert. Neal is an exceptional striker however does not have the variety to nullify Prates. It will not occur shortly, however Prates ought to discover a end in Spherical 3 or, at the least, a call.
Who wins UFC 319: Du Plessis vs. Chimaev, and the way precisely does the struggle finish? Go to SportsLine now to get detailed picks and evaluation from the incomparable knowledgeable who’s up over $1,500 on his UFC main-card picks, and discover out.
