UFC 319’s main card opener saw ex-Rizin champ Kai Asakura fall to 0-2 in the UFC. His submission defeat to Tim Elliott came after his failed attempt at immediately dethroning champion Alexandre Pantoja last December, marking another example of a new signing perhaps being thrown to the wolves.

Du Plessis has defied expectations since joining the UFC, proving himself against the best 185 pounds has to offer. He defeated former champ Robert Whittaker in a title eliminator, defeated Sean Strickland to win the title and successfully defended the title against another former champ in Israel Adesanya.