With just a week to go, the countdown to UFC 319 is well underway, and the anticipation couldn’t be higher. The spotlight is on reigning middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, who will defend his title against the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev. Both men have dominated inside the Octagon, but despite holding the belt, ‘Stillknocks’ enters the bout as the underdog in the eyes of many fans.

Oddsmakers and analysts place ‘Borz’ as the clear favorite. Still, critics question Khamzat Chimaev’s biggest perceived weakness—his cardio. He has battled health setbacks and bouts of fatigue over the years, leading critics to voice “concern.” Yet Chimaev has repeatedly silenced those doubts with early-round wins. He has rarely fought beyond the opening rounds, including at last year’s UFC 308, where he submitted former champion Robert Whittaker in the first round.

Even so, the Chechen’s “gas tank” continues to be a talking point heading into UFC 319. Addressing the speculation, Khamzat Chimaev’s teammate T.J. Dillashaw offered a fresh update on his condition while speaking on Jaxxon Behind the Brand on YouTube.

“It’s actually pretty surprising,” said T.J. Dillashaw, “how well I was able to throw my arm with the shoulder that I’ve got. But having missed a step felt real good, real, real fast, and put some work in… energy he’s got going on right now. He’s got his whole team out here at the Jaxxon Media House, doing his workouts, and everyone’s behind him. Everyone’s supporting him.”

The former UFC Bantamweight champion revealed, “You can just feel the energy in the room. He’s pushing hard rounds—I think he did like eight rounds of mitts after he did grappling. So, the guy’s in tip-top shape.” Then the MMA veteran, putting the concerns to bed, added, “He’s definitely in championship shape already.”

Despite being an explosive fighter, Khamzat Chimaev has seen his gas tank exposed twice—once against Kamaru Usman and once against Gilbert Burns, both from the welterweight division. Still, no matter what the critics say, ‘Borz’ now looks like a changed man.

After years of battling health issues and enduring repeated hospitalizations before fight night, he reunited last year with his first coach, the legendary Russian trainer Salim Noutsalkhanov, under whom he began his wrestling journey.

Khamzat Chimaev’s conditioning coach addresses concerns ahead of UFC 319

“I’m not the guy who’s just saving my [stamina], you know… I always try to finish my opponent,” said Khamzat Chimaev last year, explaining the reason behind his explosive fighting style. For ‘Borz’, opting to burn through his gas tank early rather than pace himself was a personal challenge. However, many critics view this as an excuse, arguing that cardio has been the only noticeable flaw in his otherwise well-rounded game. Critics have questioned Chimaev’s cardio in several performances, even after he took down big names early in fights.

Now, as he prepares for the second five-round bout of his career against Dricus Du Plessis, concerns over his health and conditioning have resurfaced. Khamzat’s head coach, Joakim Karlsson, insists he has already fixed those issues and believes Khamzat Chimaev will step into the octagon at the United Center without any such setbacks.

Speaking to the media, Coach Karlsson said, “Man, you can’t compare Khamzat, now, this time, with (the one from) one, two years ago. It’s totally different. He has a different strength and conditioning coach now. It’s a different level now. I don’t think it’s fair to compare him from one, two years ago. It’s not the same. He’s just taking training more seriously now.”

Still, how can we be sure until we see it with our own eyes? Thankfully, the wait is just one more week before the UFC middleweight division story unfolds. How do you see it? Drop your opinion below.