UFC 319 Picks for Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev and Other Fights on August 16

We went 9-for-14 with our predictions for the previous UFC pay-per-view event, and we’re certain we’re gonna do even better with our UFC 319 picks. The August 16 event is something you really don’t wanna miss, especially if you consider yourself an MMA fan.

This could easily turn out to be the best event of 2025, mainly due to the main event, which is the UFC Middleweight clash between Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev. There are several other spicy matchups on the main card (e.g., Leron Murphy vs. Aaron Pico), as well as some prelim bangers.

We’ll now dissect the most exciting UFC 319 fights, as well as share our picks for all the remaining bouts.

Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev – Time for “Borz” to Experience Defeat?

Missing weight, fighting washed-up fighters, and gassing out against guys in their late 30s made us think Khamzat was a cheat. But then, October 26, 2024, came, and he beat Robert Whittaker in Round 1, breaking his jaw with a face crank.

This made us realize that he’s a force to be reckoned with. That said, we’re 100% certain DDP knows this as well. This is why he’s gonna take the August 16 fight super seriously and take a more defensive approach than what he got us all used to.

Our prediction is that he’ll probably focus more on defense in the first couple of rounds, before going all-in on the offense. Keep in mind that this could be the first time that Khamzat’s fight goes past the third round, and if that happens, there’s a good chance he might gas out.

Lerone Murphy vs. Aaron Pico: UFC Debutant Planning a Spectacle

Lerone Murphy is 16-0-1 but we might see him suffer his first career loss at UFC 319. The thing is that he’s locking horns against Aaron Pico, a former Bellator star who’s levels above him when wrestling is concerned.

When it comes to striking, they’re close. Sure, Murphy is one of the highest-volume strikers in the UFC, but he doesn’t pack that much power. It seems nuts to say that given that he’s got 7 wins by KO/TKO, but the last time he put someone to sleep was in 2021.

Pico, on the other hand, is a strong guy who can take Murphy down and beat him up, getting his third straight TKO win.

Jared Cannonier vs. Michael Page: MVP to Outsmart Another KO Artist

Michael “Venom” Page is a kickboxing genius who also has decent stamina and a very high fight IQ.

Some MMA fans think his fights are somewhat boring, as MVP tends not to land too many strikes. However, his fight strategy seems to be working against powerful strikers like Jared Cannonier.

In his most recent fight, he managed to outsmart Shara Magomedov, who was 12-for-14 with KOs ahead of that bout. Page also defeated Kevin Holland and went the distance with Ian Machado Garry.

Now, he’s facing Cannonier, a powerful striker who’s famous for KO wins, but who’s already in his 40s.

UFC 319 Picks for All Remaining Fights

• Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates – Carlos Prates
• Tim Elliott vs. Kai Asakura – Kai Asakura
• King (Bobby) Green vs. Diego Ferreira – Diego Ferreira
• Gerald Meerschaert vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk – Michal Oleksiejczuk
• Jessica Andrade vs. Loopy Godinez – Loopy Godinez
• Chase Hooper vs. Alexander Hernandez – Chase Hooper
• Edson Barboza vs. Drakkar Klose – Edson Barboza
• Bryan Battle vs. Nursulton Ruziboev – Bryan Battle
• Karine Silva vs. Dione Barbosa – Karine Silva

We’re backing favorites in all remaining UFC 319 fights. Carlos Prates, Kai Asakura, Diego Ferreira, and Michael Oleksiejczuk should all get the job done easily and relatively quickly – we expect each of them to get a finish.

We also expect a finish in the Barboza vs. Klose fight, although we’re not 100% sure who’ll finish who. The same goes for the Battle vs. Ruziboev fight.

In other fights, we’ll probably hear the final bell, but betting favorites should win the judges’ scores. The only favorite we’re not confident will win if the fight goes the distance is Loopy Godinez. It’s just that Jessica Andrade is a hell of a fighter with plenty of experience.