Former champions know what it takes to reach the top of the mountain. They also know how quickly everything can fall apart. Luke Rockhold learned both lessons the hard way during his time as UFC middleweight champion. He knocked out Chris Weidman to win the belt in 2015, then lost it to Michael Bisping just eight months later. Now he’s watching from the outside as two exceptional fighters prepare to settle their differences.<\/p>
UFC 319 takes place on August 16 at Chicago’s United Center, and the main event features everything fans love about title fights. Fans have got Dricus Du Plessis, the current middleweight champion who keeps proving doubters wrong. Then there’s Khamzat Chimaev, the undefeated wrestling machine who has bulldozed through every opponent placed in front of him. Both fighters are undefeated in 17 combined UFC<\/a> appearances, making this one of those rare fights where something has to give. The question isn’t whether it will be exciting, but how long it will last!<\/p> Luke Rockhold talked about the pros and cons of each fighter. He didn’t mince words when talking about Chimaev’s abilities. He pointed out the obvious advantages the challenger brings to this fight. Chimaev’s wrestling background gives him a clear path to victory, especially early in the fight. His ability to mix takedowns with striking pressure has overwhelmed everyone. Robert Whittaker found this out the hard way when Chimaev submitted him in the first round of their recent encounter.<\/p> “He’s a f*cking beast. He’s a wrestler, he’s a grappler, he’s going to get relentless pressure. He’s going to start fast and hard. Can Dricus take that the first two rounds? Can he withstand the barrage? Because he’s going to bring it.”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>Luke Rockhold Talks About Dricus Du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev<\/h2>