UFC Commentator: Khamzat Chimaev’s Win Over Dricus Du Plessis Was Not Boring
Khamzat Chimaev’s victory over Dricus Du Plessis was far from dull, at least in the eyes of a UFC commentator.
At UFC 319 in August 2025, Chimaev dethroned then-middleweight champion Du Plessis with a commanding decision performance. “Borz” took his opponent down immediately after the opening bell and controlled him with relentless pressure for most of the fight.
The undefeated Russian controlled the fight using relentless chain wrestling and smothering top pressure, landing 12 takedowns and piling up a staggering 529 total strikes that kept Du Plessis permanently on the back foot.
Despite his control, Chimaev seldom pushed for a finish, relying more on consistent ground-and-pound than fight-ending strikes or sustained submission threats. Still, the pressure were overwhelming for the South African.
Because of how the bout unfolded, part of the MMA community branded it as boring rather than the high-octane showdown it was billed to be. However, Michael Bisping strongly disagrees.
Michael Bisping Says Khamzat Chimaev’s Dominance Over Dricus Du Plessis Was Misread By Fans
During a recent appearance on the JAXXON Podcast, UFC Hall of Famer and commentator Michael Bisping addressed the recent wave of wrestling-heavy performances in the UFC. “The Count” argued that Khamzat Chimaev’s dominant showing against Dricus Du Plessis was widely misunderstood.
“Khamzat Chimaev dominated Dricus Du Plessis from start to finish,” Bisping said. “But that’s ‘boring, he was not trying to finish.’ He was trying to finish the whole time. It’s simply because of Dricus Du Plessis’ toughness that he was able to stay in the fight.”
Bisping added that fans who branded the UFC 319 main event as boring failed to grasp the subtlety of how Chimaev neutralized Du Plessis with elite grappling control. While the finish never came, the former UFC champion stressed that the technical dominance on display deserved far greater appreciation.
“This is a masterpiece of grappling. Khamzat Chimaev had Dricus in a crucifix for 22 minutes of control time. A lot of that time was spent in a crucifix, which is a finishing position. It’s only because Dricus Du Plessis was so good at burying his head, so the only target available was the top of his head. Ninety-nine out of 100 guys would have been finished in that position.”
