Dricus du Plessis, the current middleweight champion, wants Khamzat Chimaev as his next title defense following Chimaev’s impressive victory over Robert Whittaker, with fan polls heavily favoring Chimaev over Sean Strickland as the next challenger.
Dricus du Plessis is eyeing Khamzat Chimaev for his next title defense. This past Saturday, Chimaev delivered a jaw-dropping performance at UFC 308, defeating former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the first round. It was so impressive that du Plessis, the reigning middleweight champion, took notice and expressed his desire to be the first to defeat “Borz.” Now, he’s eager to make that fight happen.
In a recent chat with RadioRaps, du Plessis argued that Chimaev should be his next opponent instead of a rematch with Sean Strickland. “We always knew between Rob and Khamzat if there was going to be something exceptional that happens, there might be a change in the title fight,” he said. As both a fan and the champ, he finds the prospect of taking someone’s undefeated record thrilling. He’s confident about beating Strickland again but craves the excitement of facing Khamzat.
Du Plessis clinched the title from Strickland back in January with a split decision win at UFC 297. Since then, he’s defended it by submitting Israel Adesanya, while Strickland claimed victory over Paulo Costa. This led UFC CEO Dana White to initially suggest Strickland was next in line for a title shot.
However, White’s stance seemed to waver during the UFC 308 post-fight press conference. He seemed less certain about Strickland being the next contender, pondering which matchup would captivate fans more. For du Plessis, it’s clear: “I think the whole world wants to see it,” he remarked about fighting Chimaev.
The fans’ voices are loud and clear too. A poll showed a whopping 85% favoring a du Plessis vs. Chimaev showdown over another bout with Strickland. With 1,075 votes for Chimaev compared to just 172 for Strickland out of 1,257 total votes, it’s evident where public interest lies.
So what’s next? The UFC will make its call, but from both fan and fighter perspectives, du Plessis believes Khamzat deserves the shot. Who will he face next? Only time will tell—but the anticipation is palpable!