Dricus Du Plessis warns Islam Makhachev against middleweight move: ‘He’s dreaming real big. I’m very big’

August 9, 2024 7:40 pm ET

Dricus Du Plessis laughed off the idea of Islam Makhachev jumping to middleweight.

Makhachev’s coach, Javier Mendez, said the UFC lightweight champion has the skills to move up to 185 pounds. Those claims were made after Makhachev’s plans of moving up to welterweight to capture a second UFC title were halted courtesy of his friend Belal Muhammad’s title win.

Muhammad himself said Makhachev could beat Du Plessis, but the UFC middleweight champion could only scoff at that notion.

“I mean, what can I say? Everybody can dream, right?” Du Plessis told Kevin Iole. “I always say never cap your dreams – dream big. But he’s dreaming real big. I’m very big. Of course, in this sport, everybody wants that – I mean, especially after it’s been done. I completely understand going up to another division and fighting for another belt because there comes a stage where it makes sense. I’m not the one who’s going to say no.

“I’m saying you have to, at the least – at the very least – defend your belt three times, maybe four, before ever considering going up – unless there’s a special circumstance that makes sense. People win a belt, and they immediately go, ‘I want to be double (champion).’ But you’re not Conor McGregor. He was the first to do it, and he did it in spectacular fashion. He was the trendsetter. He was the pioneer in doing that, and everyone tries to be like that. That’s not the case (here).”

Du Plessis makes his first title defense against Israel Adesanya on Aug. 17 in the UFC 305 main event from Perth, Australia.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 305.

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