Chimaev (14-0) earned his title shot by brutally submitting Whittaker in October, pushing Whittaker's front teeth out of alignment. Chimaev is 8-0 in the UFC with seven finishes. He also holds a majority decision win over former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman.

Perhaps the most anticipated UFC middleweight championship fight in recent memory will take center stage toward the end of the summer. Dricus Du Plessis will attempt to make the third defense of his title reign when he meets undefeated Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 on Aug.

The UFC heads back to Chicago on August 16th and in the main event, the middleweight title is on the line. Dana White took to social media tonight to announce that middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis (23-2) will defend his middleweight title against Khamzat Chimaev (14-0).