Khabib and Israel predict outcome of Khamzat vs Dricus title clash at UFC 319
- By Asim Mallick -
- Jul 22, 2025
UFC legends Khabib Nurmagomedov and Israel Adesanya offer tactical advice and predict the winner of the Khamzat Chimaev vs Dricus du Plessis fight ahead of their August 16 clash for the UFC 319 middleweight title.
Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has shared his thoughts on the fight, suggesting that Khamzat Chimaev should focus more on striking rather than relying on wrestling.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, who dominated the sport with his grappling skills, said Khamzat Chimaev’s stand-up game could give him an edge over Dricus du Plessis, especially in the early rounds of UFC 319 fight.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has become a respected coach since retiring and believes that trying to finish the fight too quickly could leave Khamzat Chimaev exhausted in the later rounds.
He pointed out that Khamzat Chimaev has not yet fought in championship rounds, so careful planning is important.
While Khabib did not pick a winner, another UFC legend did. Israel Adesanya, the former middleweight champion, gave his own prediction.
He thinks Dricus du Plessis will win the title fight with a late finish. According to Israel Adesanya, if Chimaev is going to win, it will need to happen in the first or second round.
Khamzat Chimaev has shown that he can switch between wrestling and striking in past fights. Against fighters like Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman, he started strong but later relied more on striking.
Khabib feels that if Chimaev focuses on striking from the start against Dricus du Plessis, he will have a better chance.
Khamzat Chimaev is looking to make history by winning a UFC belt in a new division. But Dricus du Plessis is a dangerous and unpredictable fighter, and he will be determined to get his hands back on the middleweight title.
Both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Israel Adesanya have made it clear that this will be a high-level, unpredictable fight, and any mistake could change everything.
Also Read: All eyes on Khamzat Chimaev as retirement talk grows before UFC 319