Khamzat Chimaev captured the middleweight championship at UFC 319, demonstrating one of the most commanding performances in championship history against Dricus du Plessis. Despite his dominance, which included a striking advantage of 529 to 45 and nearly 22 minutes of ground control, the crowd in Chicago expressed their dissatisfaction with his approach.

Former UFC fighter Matt Brown shared his thoughts on Chimaev’s strategy, stating that while it was a “boring” fight, it showcased a smart tactical execution consistent with techniques used by fighters like Georges St-Pierre. Brown remarked, “[Georges St-Pierre] had a lot of boring fights. But we don’t really talk about how boring GSP was, do we? We talk about how dominant he was… That’s the game that we’re playing.”

He continued, acknowledging the criticisms but also commending Chimaev for his intelligent fighting style. “We can’t fault him for that… It’s a prize fight, and he’s going to win the prize. Not to make you happy because you want to see blood.”