Chimaev's nickname "Borz" translates to "wolf," a fitting moniker for a fighter who lunges and clamps onto foes with rabid precision. Chimaev and his many supporters see him as UFC's apex predator. But Du Plessis is the king of the middleweight jungle. He's tracked Chimaev for a long time and, at UFC 319, he's going wolf hunting.

Du Plessis enters UFC 319 as the defending champion, looking to complete a third defense. He won the belt from Sean Strickland in early 2024, and has since defended it twice – submitting Israel Adesanya, and outpointing Strickland again in a rematch.