When Khamzat Chimaev stepped into the octagon to challenge Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title last August, he was prepared for a war. What he got, however, was a surprisingly one-sided affair that even caught the champion off guard.

Chimaev (15-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) dominated Du Plessis (23-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC) with a masterful performance at UFC 319, securing a unanimous decision victory and claiming the middleweight crown. The stats tell the story: 12 takedowns and over 21 minutes of ground control, leaving Du Plessis with little room to breathe.

"I thought Dricus was going to be stronger, but he wasn't," Chimaev revealed on UFC "Countdown." The Swedish-born fighter's game plan was simple yet devastatingly effective. "I took him down, smashed him on the ground, do the same thing again and again. He was just surviving there."

As the rounds wore on, Chimaev noticed a shift in his opponent's demeanor. "After a couple rounds, I watched his face. He didn't want to come out again." For the newly crowned champion, the victory was a moment of validation. "Nothing surprised me. I knew I was the better fighter. Felt amazing to finally have my belt on me. My country needs the champ. I'm a world champ now."

Now, Chimaev faces his first title defense against former champion Sean Strickland (30-7 MMA, 17-7 UFC) in the main event of UFC 328 this Saturday at Newark's Prudential Center. With the betting odds heavily in his favor, all eyes will be on whether "Borz" can replicate his dominant performance against another elite challenger.