CHICAGO (AP) — Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis will put his belt on the line for the third time against one of the most feared pound-for-pound fighters on the UFC roster.

Du Plessis (23-2) will face Khamzat Chimaev (14-0) at a sold-out United Center on Saturday night at UFC 319 as the event returns to Chicago for the first time in more than six years.

The blockbuster main event features Du Plessis, who defeated Sean Strickland in a split decision at UFC 297, and defended the belt by beating Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 with a fourth-round submission. The South African beat Strickland in a rematch by unanimous decision at UFC 312 to extend his win streak to 11.

Chimaev quickly gained UFC lore when he joined the organization in 2020 and secured three finishes in 66 days. However

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