Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is headed back to Chicago, Illinois, this weekend (Sat., Aug. 9, 2025), for the first time in a long time. In the main event of UFC 319, UFC Middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis collides with No. 3-ranked contender Khamzat Chimaev in what should be an epic fight for as long as it lasts.
It’s been more than six years since the Octagon landed inside Chicago’s United Center for an event, and the last time the UFC was here — UFC 238 on June 8, 2019 — it produced an awesome card with a couple of memorable fights and one of the most violent knockouts of all time.
So with that, let’s look back at what happened at UFC 238.
That card was headlined by Henry Cejudo, who was chasing history after already holding the Flyweight title. “Triple C” weathered an early storm from Marlon Moraes, absorbing punishing leg kicks in the opening round before completely flipping the script. By Round 3, Cejudo was in full control, overwhelming Moraes with a barrage of punches, knees, and elbows until the referee stepped in.
In the co-main event, Valentina Shevchenko put on a flawless striking display against Jessica Eye. After dominating the opening frame with crisp counters and suffocating clinch work, “Bullet” ended the night in spectacular fashion, blasting Eye with a thunderous left head kick that instantly stiffened her opponent and left the crowd at United Center in stunned silence. The knockout that remains one of the most replayed highlights in women’s MMA history.
In the “Featured” fight of the UFC 238 main card, Tony Ferguson and Donald Cerrone delivered exactly the kind of chaos fans expected. Ferguson poured on unrelenting pressure, mixing elbows, knees, and sharp boxing combinations in a back-and-forth brawl. At the end of Round 2, Cerrone blew his nose — causing his swollen right eye to completely shut — and the cageside doctor waved it off, giving Ferguson a TKO win in the Fight of the Night.
The rest of the main card was no less explosive. Petr Yan outpointed Jimmie Rivera in a technical striking battle, while Blagoy Ivanov handed Tai Tuivasa his second UFC loss via unanimous decision.
The prelims were loaded with highlight-reel moments as well. Calvin Kattar drilled Ricardo Lamas with a clean right hand for a first-round knockout (watch highlights), Eddie Wineland finished Grigory Popov with a flurry late in Round 2 (watch highlights), and future champions and top contenders like Tatiana Suárez, Aljamain Sterling, Alexa Grasso, and Yan Xiaonan all scored impressive decision wins.
The card was a perfect mix of elite talent, brutal finishes, and championship stakes — the kind of fight night that leaves a city buzzing long after the final horn.
Will UFC 319 surpass UFC 238 in terms of fun? There are only five days until we find out.
To see who else is fighting at UFC 319 click here.
