Dricus Du Plessis finally reveals truth about injury reports and Khamzat Chimaev’s trolling 

UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis responds to injury rumors and talks about a potential fight announcement against Khamzat Chimaev.

Dricus Du Plessis finally reveals truth about injury reports and Khamzat Chimaev’s trolling 

Dricus Du Plessis breaks silence about UFC 317 pullout and potential comeback (via Imago)

Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev were expected to fight each other in the main event of UFC 317. However, recent developments suggested that the South African had gotten injured and won’t be able to fight at UFC 317. This attracted some trolling from Chimaev towards the middleweight champion, mocking his withdrawal and questioning his willingness to compete.

However, DDP has now retaliated seriously, issuing a stern response to Chimaev’s comments and defending his professional commitment. Du Plessis is well known for his trash-talking style and for consistently shutting down his critics and vocal doubters. The champion recently posted a social media update explaining his current situation, including injury details and his UFC 317 fight status.

Okey so everyone had their opinions and rumors and stories about a shin break and injuries etc. I found it all very entertaining, unfortunately none of it is true myself and @ufc already discussed a fight date and opponent, the June fight was never signed I did not pull out of any fight, I am the champion I know when I fight you as a contender just show up when we tell you to. Fight announcement coming soon stay tuned. 

Dricus Du Plessis via Instagram 

Du Plessis last fought at UFC 312, where he dismantled former champion Sean Strickland in their thrilling middleweight title rematch. Before that, he dominated Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, proving to fans he’s a true force at the division’s pinnacle. Despite his weird and unorthodox fighting style, fans began respecting him for his grit, toughness, and ability to win.

On the other hand, Chimaev is currently undefeated and has defeated fighters such as Kamaru Usman, Gilbert Burns and Kevin Holland. In his last fight, he broke former champion Robert Whittaker’s jaw with a face crank, proving his unmatched dominance. Instead of being afraid, DDP was eager to share the octagon with the ‘Borz’, and it would be interesting to see what happens next.

UFC champion predicts Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev 

Dricus Du Plessis currently ranks #5 in UFC men’s pound-for-pound because of his explosive finishing ability inside the Octagon. He has either knocked out or submitted most opponents, making him a dominant and entertaining champion. Unlike him, welterweight champion Belal Muhammad gets criticized often for winning decisions instead of delivering highlight-reel finishes like Du Plessis.

Dricus Du Plessis to lose against Khamzat Chimaev
Dricus Du Plessis to lose against Khamzat Chimaev (via X)

Belal Muhammad recently discussed moving up in weight to challenge for UFC middleweight gold, stirring plenty of speculation online. He’s also expressed interest in finally facing Khamzat Chimaev and has ongoing beef with reigning champion Du Plessis. In a recent interview, Muhammad boldly predicted ‘Borz’ would defeat DDP in their rumored upcoming showdown.

I’ve called out Khamzat when he was at 170. That’s one of those fights I was always looking for, I’m always looking for the toughest challenge…Stylistically I think I match up very well with him. I think he’ll walk through [Dricus] Du Plessis and become champion…he goes so hard in the first round and comes out like a missile… for me, it’s just about taking him to the later rounds and start drowning him.

Belal Muhammad via Submission Radio

Chimaev can potentially beat Du Plessis because of his relentless pressure, which he used against various opponents to get an early finish. In the Gilbert Burns fight, he also proved his explosive striking, which overwhelms opponents quickly before they can find any rhythm. In his past fights, Du Plessis was often observed starting slow and absorbing damage early.

This plays directly into Chimaev’s aggressive, fast-paced, suffocating game plan perfectly. However, the South African is well aware of this and has mentioned that he has the durability to go through that. It would be interesting to see how the fight will turn out and when it will take place.

Related: Who is Dricus Du Plessis girlfriend Vasti Spiller? Are they married?