![Top Legendary Cricketers Who Retired Without a Farewell [Updated 2025]](https://sportspromax.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/image-300x200.webp "Top Legendary Cricketers Who Retired Without a Farewell [Updated 2025] 2")
They don’t come as explosively as Khamzat Chimaev; the fighter is a different breed, and it shows. Chimaev was hard-pressed not to give an inch for 25 minutes in his first PPV headliner vs. Dricus Du Plessis. However, he managed to keep the pace and overwhelmed Du Plessis to win middleweight gold at UFC 319 and proved he’s more than just a one-round wrestling phenom.
There were doubts about it; per BetOnline.AG Sportsbooks, bookies had Chimaev pegged as a big -200 opener on the money line to win gold (*pre-fight odds -275). However, this was his first time going beyond a three-round frame. He did that against Gilbert Burns, and for the first time, a fighter posed quite some adversity.
The Chechen ‘Borz’ is bound to be explosive due to his caliber as a former three-time Swedish wrestling champ (— 92kg bracket). He averaged a 00:13-second phase gap for every other fight before shooting for his signature double leg TD.
But this time, it was with a fighter of a higher caliber, as DDP has had more 5-round battle experience and has shown immense cardio. Fans and pundits had tagged Chimaev would win this, but only and only if he catches ‘Stillknocks’ in the first few rounds. Hence, the undefeated Emirati is happy to have proven everyone wrong.
I do not care what people think about me doing my things… [You saw] How many strikes I landed on him? How many takedowns [did] I have there? I did not gas out, so now they know; The boys always saying, ‘Bro, it will be good for us if you go five rounds for the next fight, that makes us a better fighter.’ So, happy that’s happened. But sorry for Dana White. He likes finishes. I tried last seconds, but make mistake.
Khamzat Chimaev during UFC 319 post-fight fighter interviews
Not only did Khamzat Chimaev shine in the UFC 319 PPV top bill, but he did so dominantly. With some early peeling off action, he chained on singles after double leg, transitioned to a crucifix to center the body, and went to work. He went tapping for an astonishing 529/567 successful TOT.STR (Strikes)! For comparison, DDP, who’s one of the best closers in UFC now, managed 45/68 strikes.
#ANDNEW!!
— UFC (@ufc) August 17, 2025
[ #UFC319 | B2YB: @TerminalListPV ] pic.twitter.com/PTsLAdFZvh
‘Borz’ accumulated a total of 23/24 significant strikes (SIG STR), and the former champ himself opened up better R3 onwards. But Chimaev made and connected on 12/17 takedowns and had an immense 21:40 control time! So Chimaev is happy to have crossed that threshold of having limited gas in the tank. His championship win, though, narrowly missed out on a record!
Khamzat Chimaev fell an inch short of breaking UFC record set in 2007, with dominant UFC 319 PPV win
In the modern era of things, UFC 135-pound champ Merab Dvalishvili is one of the only fighters with such domination stats. Along with 2,092 total strikes logged in active bantamweight competition [T-1], his 92 TDs passed the previous record of welterweight GOAT Georges St-Pierre [90].
Ex-UFC lightweight legend Khabib Nurmagomedov and his 21 single-fight TD record were another from before, and Khabib and his sticky top mount were one for the ages. Khamzat Chimaev already boasts those kinds of hallmark domination, but this weekend, he failed to touch a crown on that.
Borz going on a 4-fight streak without a single significant strike absorbed is the highest-rated in the company’s competition history. He’s also yet another fighter to make champ on an undefeated record after the United Center in Chicago. At UFC 319, he racked up 21 minutes and 40 seconds of control time. However, it failed to take up the spot on the record books by just a margin!
Per UFC leaderboards (statleaders.ufc.com), the honor goes to Sean Sherk with 22 minutes and 18 seconds at UFC 73. In 2007, Sherk mounted up the record in a title clash against Hermes Franca. However, Khamzat Chimaev is no stranger to making records of his own. His 2 UFC victories in a 10-day span in July 2020 were the fastest stretch. Now, as a champ, he can resolve to make some more.
ALSO READ: 3 Likely Opponents For Champ Khamzat Chimaev After One-Sided UFC 319 Title Win
