UFC champion Dricus Du Plessis talks Khamzat Chimaev’s place at middleweight following his withdrawal from key Robert Whittaker clash.
There’s an uneasy atmosphere around Khamzat Chimaev these days; fans understand that ‘Borz’ has the potential to be a two-weight UFC champion, but problems with his health have kept the once insanely active contender firmly on the sidelines.
Given both Chimaev’s frustrating withdrawal from UFC Saudi Arabia last month and the upcoming middleweight title fight in August, champion Dricus Du Plessis argues that fans need to slow down the hype train themselves or be in for yet more disappointment.
Dricus Du Plessis says it’s a waste of time talking of a Chimaev title shot
The UFC 305 pre-fight press conference was held last night in Australia, with champion Dricus Du Plessis and former middleweight king Israel Adesanya having a particularly intense faceoff after a heated exchange turned personal.
After the event came to its conclusion, Du Plessis spoke to Submission Radio about the state of the middleweight division and specifically, the place of undefeated phenom Khamzat Chimeav in the title picture after his withdrawal from UFC Saudi Arabia last month.
“I would love to fight Khamzat, nobody’s beaten him, and he was almost like the Bogeyman of this division,” stated Du Plessis, “But let’s be honest, I was disappointed that fight didn’t happen – not that surprised to be honest.
“I didn’t expect it but you kind of have to at this stage, i.e., expect something to happen.“
Chimaev’s manager released a statement following the withdrawal, sharing how the Chimaev’s persistent illness “could not be cured in time,” and that in the lead-up to the clash with Robert Whittaker he had “been in and out of hospitals several times.”
“I’m feeling sorry for the guy, I know what it feels like, I’ve been on that side of the area of not being able to fight and it sucks,” admitted ‘Stillknocks’ before arguing that the UFC is wasting their time in trying to push Chimaev into a title shot, especially after such a late notice fight cancelation.
“Right now, it just doesn’t even make sense to talk about it. You know he hasn’t fought one single ranked middleweight, not one and to put him in that conversation right now seems like we’re wasting time.”
As of July 2024, Chimaev has fought three times at middleweight in the UFC: First against John Phillips in his debut, Gerald Meerschaert a few months later, and Kamaru Usman in his most recent fight back in October last year.
“He’s not in the run and up until he proves that he deserves to be in that run, there’s no use in talking about it.”
Whilst it may be a waste of time talking about Chimaev being in title contention in mid-2024, one man who certainly is in the UFC middleweight title picture is former foe, Robert ‘The Reaper’ Whittaker.
Du Plessis hails ‘The Reaper’ for still fighting after Chimaev withdrew
Whittaker refused to pull out of the UFC Saudi Arabia main event following Chimaev’s withdrawal, with the former champion then earning a vicious first-round KO of Ikram Aliskerov.
Du Plessis admitted that he “hadn’t heard anything from the UFC” about Whittaker potentially being the backup fighter for his upcoming title fight with Israel Adesanya, but celebrated how happy he was that ‘The Reaper’ could be given that shot.
“That just goes to show what an amazing fighter he is, I’m so happy for him and so happy that the world can see- the man is in his prime still, and I’m just happy he proved all those naysayers wrong in saying he’s a washed-up fighter.”
Du Plessis also noted that such a beat-down is proof that the UFC should be careful in catapulting contenders to the top of the middleweight tree for such a reason as ‘The Reaper’ showed in the dunes of Arabia.
“All these other fighters, listen yeah, you’re doing great at the back of the line, but come play with the big boys in the Top 5 and see what it’s like – and Whittaker proved that to be a Number 10 ranked fighter and a Number 3 ranked fighter are two very, very different things.
“I’m just so happy he got to prove that to the world and the rest of the division, listen; win your fights, earn your respect, but stay in your lane.”
Dricus Du Plessis returns to action at UFC 305 in August against former middleweight king Israel Adesanya, live from the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.