3 biggest storylines ahead of UFC 319
UFC 319 is upon us.
In Saturday's main event, Dricus Du Plessis defends the middleweight title in a highly anticipated matchup with Khamzat Chimaev. And in the co-headliner, former Bellator star Aaron Pico makes his UFC debut against featherweight contender Lerone Murphy.
Here are three key storylines ahead of the UFC's return to the United Center in Chicago.
Will Chimaev finally reach the pinnacle of MMA?
Chimaev set a high bar for himself when he arrived in the UFC in 2020. He annihilated two opponents in 10 days on Fight Island, breaking a promotional record, and immediately had MMA fans calling him a future champion.
Few would've predicted it would take Chimaev five years to get his first crack at a UFC title, but here we are. A combination of illnesses, injuries, and visa issues derailed his rapid rise, as he fought just once in three of the last four years. However, Chimaev has almost always been brilliant when he's managed to step into the Octagon, maintaining a 14-0 record as a professional and an 8-0 record in the UFC.
Finally set to square off against the UFC's middleweight champion in Du Plessis, this is Chimaev's opportunity to prove the hype is - and always was - real.
Where does Pico fit into the UFC's featherweight division?
There are no warmup fights in the UFC - at least not for Pico.
Once hyped as the best prospect in MMA history, Pico signed with the UFC earlier this year after leaving the PFL. He's set to make his debut against Murphy, who's ranked No. 6 in the featherweight division and has never lost a fight. The matchup is a tough one, to say the least, but we'll learn quickly where Pico stands among his peers.
After a disappointing 4-3 start to his pro MMA career between 2017-19, Pico turned a corner and has gone 9-1 in his last 10 fights, with his lone loss during that stretch coming via injury. Pico came close to a title shot under the Bellator banner and certainly has Alexander Volkanovski's belt on his mind now that he's in the UFC. Whether or not Pico will be successful on the sport's biggest stage could be decided in his debut matchup with Murphy.
Is 'MVP' on track to become a title contender at 185 pounds?
When Michael "Venom" Page signed with the UFC two years ago, there was discourse in the MMA community about whether he'd become a real welterweight contender despite being closer to 40 than 30. But Page has thrown everyone for a loop.
Page did indeed become somewhat of a contender at 170 pounds, beating Kevin Holland to earn the No. 15 ranking before losing to Ian Machado Garry. Now the 38-year-old Englishman is one win away from entering the top 10 in a completely different division.
Page moved up to middleweight at UFC Saudi Arabia in February for what everyone assumed was a one-off fight against Shara "Bullet" Magomedov. Well, Page delivered a comprehensive decision win and then decided to stay at 185 pounds for the time being.
Next up for him is a bout against former title challenger Jared Cannonier, who's coming off a knockout win over Gregory Rodrigues that ended a two-fight losing streak. If Page wins, suddenly he'll be very much in the mix as a title contender at 185 pounds - and he might have to leave welterweight behind for good.