"His control was outstanding": Former 2x Light Heavyweight champion reacts to Khamzat Chimaev’s UFC 319 title win

Two-time former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones is among those impressed by the performance of Khamzat Chimaev, at UFC 319, where the Chechen superstar captured the middleweight title in one-sided fashion.

Jones, widely regarded as one of the best fighters of all time, noted Chimaev as calm and in control inside the Octagon.“His control was outstanding, it was a brilliant performance. I’m sure he’ll take a lot from this dominant showing, and next time we’ll probably see him chase more finishes,” said Jones in his X post.

Khamzat Chimaev’s suffocating grappling display

Chimaev defeated existing champion Dricus du Plessis with a smothering, nasty ground game in a title clash on August 16, 2025, in Chicago's United Center.

Chimaev registered well over 21 minutes of control time across five rounds, the most ever in a UFC title fight. Stifling his opponent, he also unleashed 529 total strikes to du Plessis's 45, proving that his smothering tendencies worked just as well on the feet as they did on the ground.

The fight ended in a unanimous decision win in favor of Chimaev, giving him his first title under the UFC banner. That victory improved his pro record to 15,0, making him one of the most terrifying fighters in the sport today.

Reactions across the MMA world

Jones wasn't the only one who had a soft spot. MMA pundits and veterans compared Chimaev's clinical and dominant performance to that of Georges St-Pierre, who beat every aspect of his opponent methodically. However, not everyone was impressed. Paulo Costa was among those who lambasted the lack of a highlight-reel finish, while some felt Chimaev missed chances to put it away.Also Read: Watch: Khamzat Chimaev receives hero’s welcome in Abu Dhabi after being crowned UFC middleweight championYet there is a near universal belief that when Chimaev won, we entered a new era at middleweight.

And UFC president Dana White has already mentioned elimination fights, such as Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho and Reinier de Ridder vs. Anthony Hernandez, to determine Chimaev's first title challenger, which would presumably take place at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi.As for Jon Jones, he has a noteworthy stamp of approval to give Chimaev. Even Jones himself is angling for a return to the Octagon at heavyweight, and his endorsement speaks to how highly regarded the new champion is by a legend from the sport.