Aug 16, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, UNITED STATES; Dricus Du Plessis Murphy (red gloves) fights Khamzat Chimaev (blue gloves) during UFC 319 at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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UFC 319 Press Conference- Dana White Gives Props To New Champion Khamzat Chimaev, DDP For UFC 319 Main Event!

Dana White has seen thousands of fights throughout his career as UFC president. He’s witnessed legendary battles, shocking upsets, and dominant performances that leave lasting impressions on the sport. This weekend at UFC 319 gave him another memorable moment to add to his collection. The main event between Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus Du Plessis wasn’t the barn burner many expected, but it was certainly impressive in its own way.

The UFC boss knows what sells and what doesn’t, but he also recognizes pure skill when he sees it. Chimaev’s victory over Du Plessis was a masterclass in wrestling dominance that left no doubt about who deserved to win. While some fans might have hoped for more fireworks, White understood the technical brilliance behind what they witnessed. During his post-fight press conference, he didn’t hold back his admiration for both fighters involved in the title bout.

Dana White Praises Khamzat Chimaev’s Dominance

Dana White was clearly impressed by Chimaev’s dominant display against the former champion. He went on to explain the logic behind Chimaev’s success throughout the five rounds. White’s scoring of the fight showed just how one-sided he thought it was. He had every round a 10-8, except for the last round which speaks volumes about how thoroughly Chimaev controlled every aspect of the contest. Those are the kind of scores you usually see in completely lopsided beatings, not championship fights.

“In the lead-up to this fight I said that I bet the main event is the fight of the night, didn’t see that coming but not shocked either. If you can do it in the first round, more than likely you can do it in the second, and throughout the rest of the fight…People love him [Khamzat], fighting back here in the United States, and Chicago loved him too…I had every round a 10-8, maybe except for the last round.”

Dana White reacts to Khamzat Chimaev's dominant #UFC319 title win and Dricus Du Plessis' effort in defeat. pic.twitter.com/4sv4gIDoiW
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) August 17, 2025

This praise from White carries extra weight because he’s not easily impressed by wrestling-heavy performances. The UFC boss has always preferred exciting, crowd-pleasing fights that get people on their feet. But even he had to tip his cap to the new champion’s technical excellence.

Dana White Praised Dricus Du Plessis’ Heart

White didn’t forget about the losing fighter in his post-fight analysis either. The UFC president made sure to praise Du Plessis for his toughness throughout what was clearly a frustrating night for the South African fighter. Getting dominated for five straight rounds would break many fighters mentally. But ‘Stillknocks’ never stopped trying to find a way back into the fight. That kind of heart and determination is exactly what White looks for in his champions.

“To be in a position that he was in and the crucifix and just getting dominated on the ground, and punched in the face and elbowed in the face. It’s a frustrating place to be and I thought he handled it well. He came out every round trying to get back in the fight and try to win ”

Du Plessis had built quite a reputation by defeating elite competition like Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. White’s acknowledgment of Du Plessis’s toughness shows he understands that sometimes the best fighter simply wins, regardless of how much heart the opponent shows.

(Image Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski – Imagn Images)

Dana White

Dricus Du Plessis

Khamzat Chimaev

UFC 319

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!