One of the best cards of the year happened in the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. A night full of memorable knockouts and dominant performances for the ages. Dricus Du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev is a fight that all MMA fans have been looking forward to for a long time. The reigning champion, who seemed unbeatable, vs one of the scariest fighters to ever step in the cage, clashed for middleweight gold. Up and down the card showcased veteran names that are staples in the sport and high-level contenders that will soon see championship fights. An amazing and historical night for MMA that shows why this is one of the greatest sports in the world.

Recap of UFC 319:

#11 Tim Elliot vs #15 Kai Asakura: Flyweight

Tim Elliot submits Kai Asakura at the end of round two via guillotine. The fight started quickly, with Asakura immediately pushing the pace and walking down Elliot and using his speed to his advantage. Elliot was very unorthodox and awkward in this fight, throwing strikes and feints that lacked the intention of causing damage. He was throwing front kicks and weird looping punches that were supposed to confuse Asakura. However, Asakura was not fazed by Elliot’s antics and went straight to work, landing heavy shots throughout the first round that made Elliot take notice. Elliot took down Asakura towards the end of the first round and completely shifted the dynamics between the two. Asakura was very hesitant to throw strikes in round two due to the threat of being taken down, as he is not known for his grappling. Elliot took full advantage of this and continued to strike with Asakura until an opportunity opened up for the takedown. Once Elliot got Asakura on the ground, he used his high-level grappling to perfection and locked in a beautiful guillotine for the submission win. Elliot will be looking to move into the top ten rankings moving forward.

#9 Jared Cannonier vs Michael Venom Page: Middleweight

Michael Venom Page defeats Jared Cannonier by unanimous decision. In the first two rounds, Page got right to work with his patented point-fighting style and famous showboating. He used his superior reach and quick karate striking to stump Cannonier and prevent him from gaining any momentum. Page knocked down Cannonier in both of the first two rounds and had him scrambling. Cannonier would clinch Page against the cage to stop the offense coming his way and stall Page for a short duration. In round three, Cannonier took Page down instantly and held him there the entire round while landing decent ground and pound. However, Page was already up two rounds to one and would go on to win via decision. MPV continues his impressive run in the UFC and will be in the middleweight rankings in the near future.

#11 Geoff Neal vs #12 Carlos Prates: Welterweight

Carlos Prates knocks out Geoff Neal cold with a brutal spinning back elbow at the very end of round one. Round one was extremely close and both showcased their striking skills beautifully. Neal was finding a way inside Prates’ guard and landing well while Prates used his extreme length and landed great leg kicks and straight punches. Both men had there moments with seconds left on the clock Prates landed a spinning elbow that flatlined Neal for minutes. Prates gained another highlight KO and bounces back from his loss to Ian Garry in the best way possible. Prates is looking to burst into the top ten rankings and make a run for to get a champion opportunity.

#6 Lerone Murphy vs Aaron Pico: Featherweight

Lerone Murphy knocks out Aaron Pico with a spinning back elbow to in round one. Its not common you see two knockouts back to back in the very same fashion but Lerone Murphy did just that. Aaron Pico looked elite in his first fight in the UFC and was making life hard for Murphy. Landing brutal body hooks, combinations, and even worked in a couple takedowns. Pico looked fierce and hungry and with something to prove as he entered the UFC for the first time. Murphy landed shots himself and defended well against Pico before throwing a perfectly timed elbow right into the temple of Pico, knocking him out cold. A perfect elbow stopped the aggressive Pico for good in what could be KO of the year. Murphy is the now in line for a title shot and may end up landing one in his next fight.

(C) Dricus Du Plessis vs #3 Khamzat Chimaev; Middleweight

Khamzat Chimaev defeats Dricus Du Plessis in a 50-44 decision win in one of the most dominant performances in championship fight history. Domination doesn’t even describe how Chimaev looked tonight, there was almost no moment in the fight where he was losing. With an unfathomable 21:40 of control time in a 25 minute fight and over 500 total strikes, Chimaev showed why he is one of the most feared fighters the UFC has ever seen. Du Plessis had nothing for the grappling of Chimaev who did whatever he wanted to Du Plessis. Chimaev showcased a level of grappling that is rarely seen in MMA and had one of the most dominant performances that one will ever see in the octogon. Chimaev looks like he will be champion for a long time and its hard to imagine someone will be able to stop him anytime soon.