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Ben Verbrugge is a freelance sportswriter with a journalism degree from CSU Dominguez Hills. He is a member of the Los Angeles media and spends most of his time covering the NBA, NFL, and MLB. When not writing, he is either playing or watching sports.
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One of the most highly anticipated MMA cards of the year opens with a four-fight prelim card as UFC 319 gets underway in Chicago on Saturday.
SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images
- Date: Saturday, August 16, 2025
- Time (Early Prelims): 7:00 PM ET
- Time: (Prelims) 8:00 PM ET
- Channel: ESPN
- Stream: Fubo (Start your subscription now)
Saturday’s UFC 319 main event between middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev has ‘Fight of the Year contender’ written all over it. But before two of the most imperious forces in mixed martial arts duke it out for the title at the United Center, an intriguing four-fight preliminary bill deserves its share of attention.
Perhaps most intriguing is the prelim card’s opening bout between submission guru Chase Hooper and wrestling talent Alexander Hernandez at lightweight. Hooper, 25, has long been picked out as one of the UFC’s most promising prospects and is riding a five-win streak ahead of facing ‘The Great’, who’s not far from being his toughest task to date.
Middleweight veteran Gerald Meerschaert is targeting a return to victory lane after consecutive defeats when he faces Michal Oleksiejczuk, who ended a three-loss skid of his own back in April. Likewise, Jessica Andrade will make her return to strawweight against Loopy Godinez in Illinois after suffering back-to-back losses at 125lbs.
Undercard:
Gerald Meerschaert vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (Middleweight)
Baysangur Susurkaev vs. Eric Nolan (Middleweight)
Jessica Andrade vs. Loopy Godinez (Strawweight)
Chase Hooper vs. Alexander Hernandez (Lightweight)
Live stream UFC 319: Du Plessis vs Chimaev Prelims on ESPN with Fubo: Start your subscription now!
The main event can be live-streamed nationally via pay-per-view purchase through ESPN+.
Live stream UFC 319 Main Card with ESPN+: Start your subscription now!
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