UFC champ Dricus Du Plessis: No middleweight can ‘overpower me,’ not even Khamzat Chimaev
October 31, 2024 1:00 pm ET
UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis has no doubt he can match Khamzat Chimaevâs physical prowess.
Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) turned his attention to Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) after the unbeaten contender ran through Robert Whittaker for a first-round submission this past Saturday at UFC 308. Chimaevâs strength and grappling proved to be too much once again, but Du Plessis says âBorzâ wonât be able to impose his will on him.
âWhen I fight, I donât know how to back up,â Du Plessis told TMZ. âIâm going to go out there and fight you. Weâve seen this with Khamzat, slowing down after the first round, round-and-a-half, and I think that is because he uses so much power.
âHe has the wrestling technique, of course, but he uses his strength as a weapon. In this case, he has a gun, and I have a tank when it comes to the strength. Thereâs not a middleweight thatâs going to overpower me. Itâs not going to happen.â
In the UFC 308 post-fight news conference, Chimaev was asked by MMA Junkie about Du Plessisâ grappling, which he immediately dismissed â but the champion issued him a warning.
âIf itâs Khamzat, you think youâre strong, you think youâre powerful, you have not felt anything,â Du Plessis said. âAnd I canât wait until I see it on his face because I see it on every single person I fightâs face. When they realize, âOh sh*t.â Thatâs the message.â
Du Plessis also explained his decision of pivoting to Chimaev over a Sean Strickland (29-6 MMA, 16-6 UFC) rematch. Du Plessis claimed the middleweight title by edging out Strickland at UFC 297, a fight Strickland believes he won.
âI completely welcome the Strickland rematch. Iâd love to get that finish because for Sean, he needs a win back, I need a finish,â Du Plessis said. âHe doesnât mind to fight boring fights like most of his fights. Thatâs why he has seven or eight split decision wins. For me, I want to fight a guy like Khamzat to throw down. Not say that heâs going to then jab for five rounds. Myself and Sean, it was a close fight, but there was no doubt in my mind that I won that fight. ⊠Strickland just beat Paulo Costa in a very boring fight once again, right after our fight.
âWhether it was close or not, itâs still a loss. Khamzat, theyâve hyped up this guy for so long, but he hasnât come to fruition. He hasnât lost, but the fight cancellations and him being sick. Sometimes thatâs out of our control. But he was the first guy to ever submit Rob, and he did it in the first round, and that warrants him jumping the gun on Sean Strickland for me. If you ask me personally, thatâs a fight I would rather want because thatâs a fight the people want. Itâs a fight more fans want, and I believe Khamzat is the next best guy.â
Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
