UFC 319: Full Fight Card, Main Event Breakdown, Start Time & How to Watch Live

Anticipation is surging for UFC 319, slated for Saturday, 16 August 2025, inside Chicago’s iconic United Center. The pay-per-view is headlined by a blockbuster middleweight title clash between reigning champion Dricus “Stillknocks” du Plessis and unbeaten juggernaut Khamzat Chimaev, a matchup already being hailed as one of the year’s most intriguing stylistic showdowns. Main Event Storyline • Du Plessis shocked the division by dethroning Israel Adesanya earlier this year and now makes his first defense against perhaps the division’s most feared wrestler-brawler. • Chimaev, perfect through 14 professional bouts, finally receives his long-awaited title shot after a dominant decision over Robert Whittaker. • Oddsmakers opened “Borz” as a slight favorite, but early money has narrowed the line, reflecting keen fan interest on both sides. Co-Main Event & Featured Bouts • Light-Heavyweight No. 1 contender eliminator: former champ Jiri Procházka vs. surging knockout artist Magomed Ankalaev. • Women’s Strawweight showcase: new signing Tatiana Suárez meets ex-titleholder Rose Namajunas in a five-round special. • Heavyweight slugfest: fan-favorite Tai Tuivasa squares off with unbeaten prospect Jailton Almeida. The full 13-fight card, including prelims featuring Chicago native Belal Muhammad, is available on UFC.com and will be updated as bout agreements finalize. How to Watch • U.S. PPV: ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET main card). • UK & Ireland: TNT Sports Box Office (3 a.m. BST Sunday). • Australia: Main Event on Kayo (12 p.m. AEST Sunday). Early prelims stream free on UFC Fight Pass. Tickets & Fan Experience Presale for Fight Club members begins 17 June, with general public on-sale 19 June via Ticketmaster. The UFC Fan Expo returns to McCormick Place all week, featuring open workouts, autograph sessions, and the official ceremonial weigh-ins. Keys to Victory Du Plessis must manage distance and weaponize his cardio—two factors that carried him past Adesanya—while Chimaev will look to blitz early, chain-wrestle, and test the champion’s takedown defense under relentless pressure. Both men possess fight-ending power, making conditioning and cage craft critical. Prediction Expect fireworks from the opening bell. If Chimaev secures top position in the first two rounds, a submission or ground-and-pound stoppage is plausible. Should du Plessis extend the bout past the midway point, his high-volume striking and resilience could tilt the momentum. Either way, the middleweight landscape will change dramatically on 16 August. Stay tuned for live results, backstage interviews, and post-fight analysis as UFC 319 approaches.