Dricus du Plessis recently addressed his feud with Khamzat Chimaev and whether there is animosity. They will headline UFC 319, set for Aug. 16. in Chicago, in a highly anticipated middleweight title fight.
Ahead of their clash, du Plessis set the record straight about his feelings toward Chimaev. The reigning middleweight champion made it clear he won’t be intimidated by any back-and-forth exchanges.
During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, du Plessis clarified that he respects Chimaev as a fighter. He acknowledged that ‘Borz’ deserves the praise he receives and noticed his potential early on.
“I think Khamzat is a special fighter,” du Plessis said. “From the first time I saw this guy fight, I knew this guy was gonna be special.”
Although he respects Chimaev as a fighter, du Plessis took issue with how ‘Borz’ conducted himself during his hiatus. He recalled Chimaev often calling out fighters from multiple divisions, which eventually irritated him.
“Listen, he speaks a lot more than he fights,” du Plessis said. “There was a long period of time he was calling out every single person. That just started getting annoying.”
du Plessis added that he’s eager to show he’s much better than he people think, especially at Chimaev’s expense.
“There was never ever a stage where I went, ‘Oh, this guy’s overrated.’ He is as good as people think, I think he’s as good as people think. I just think I’m a lot better than people think.”
Dricus du Plessis Explains Why He Goes After Other Fighters on Social Media
du Plessis also discussed his social media interactions with other fighters. Known for his sharp responses and wit, he defended his approach to online trash talk.
The middleweight champion emphasized that he won’t engage in attacks without being provoked first. This was evident with his some of his tweets directed at Belal Muhammad and Shara Magomedov.
“It seems like I’m just going for these guys. I have never been disrespectful to anyone that’s been respectful to me,” du Plessis said. “I’ll respect you, you respect me. If you want the smoke, I’ll give it. That’s how it is.”
He added that he expects mutual respect from other fighters and won’t tolerate disrespect, especially regarding his own career.
“If you want to come and try and bully me, try and talk about the thing that I dedicate my life to, say I’m bad at that, I will come for you,” du Plessis concluded.
du Plessis Reveals the Location He Requested for Khamzat Chimaev Clash
du Plessis is confident in his chances against Chimaev and revealed he made a special request regarding the fight location.
Before UFC 319 was confirmed for Chicago, du Plessis asked for Abu Dhabi. There was speculation on the location for their title fight due to reports about ‘Borz’s ability to enter the U.S.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani, ‘Stillknocks’ explained that he wanted a home-field advantage for Chimaev, making a potential win more impressive.
“I begged [the UFC], actually, I want to fight [Khamzat Chimaev] in Abu Dhabi. Fight him in his neck of the woods, like I have been doing with so many other opponents. And, I’ve grown quite fond of that,” du Plessis said. “I wanted to fight [in] Abu Dhabi, Saudi [Arabia], or anywhere in that region. Fight him there in front of his own crowd, his people.”
They said they wanna do Chicago. I thought, well, great. It’s a place I haven’t seen. It
Dricus du Plessis Clears the Air on Khamzat Chimaev Feud Ahead of UFC 319 Clash