SUMMARY
- On January 20, Dricus du Plessis fought against Sean Strickland to become the new Middleweight Champion.
- The two UFC fighters considered next for the title bout are Israel Adesanya and Khamzat Chimaev.
Dricus du Plessis has become the talk of the town after winning the UFC Middleweight Championship in an all-out war against Sean Strickland at UFC 297. The first PPV main event of the year did set the standard for coming cards and the much anticipated UFC 300 in April. With most of the fights declared, the main event of the evening is yet to be announced.
Many speculations have been made about possible prospects to headline the historic card. With a new Middleweight Champion in the picture, two new title challengers are already becoming clear. The two UFC fighters considered next for the title bout are Israel Adesanya and Khamzat Chimaev. Adesanya has yet to make his return to the UFC but has announced his interest in fighting Dricus.
See you soon biplisi ufc300 🫡
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) January 21, 2024
The other possible opponent would be Chimaev, who has been a force of destruction since he arrived in the UFC. He is still to be defeated in his MMA career and last fought against former UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman, winning via decision at UFC 294. The Russian was quick to call out Du Plessis on social media after his win at UFC 297, although he had yet to win over a ranked middleweight.
Dricus du Plessis mocks Khamzat Chimaev’s callout after UFC 297 win
In the post-fight press conference for UFC 297, Dricus du Plessis was questioned about his thoughts about having Khamzat as his next opponent. He was open about sharing his thoughts, claiming that he would prefer fighting deserving contenders in the division. The first South African-born UFC champion further discredited the middleweight, calling his tweet for a matchup to be more of a stunt.
Dricus stated, “I mean he said that to Jon Jones, I mean who takes that guy seriously anyway”. Responding to the tweet Chimaev made calling him out for the title. He further shared that he would be more interested in fighting Adesanya on his return. Who has been a former dominant champion in the division. Also adding to their storyline and settling their differences in the octagon.
Why Dricus du Plessis would be a bad matchup for Khamzat Chimaev
Although a great wrestler and crowd-puller for the UFC, Dricus du Plessis could be a bad matchup for Khamzat Chimaev. Having been seen to struggle against fighters with good takedown defense and grappling skills such as Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman. Dricus would be a much tougher opponent for the former UFC Welterweight. Considering his power, striking, takedowns, and cardio could be a problem for the Russian.
Chimaev has only gone to the final third round twice in his career. And he seemed to have struggled in both his cardio and endurance. Also, Du Plessis displayed his takedown skills against Sean Strickland, who hasn’t been taken to the ground many times in his career. Even pushing himself to the limits in cardio makes him seem much more prepared for a five-round title bout.