Khamzat Chimaev’s ‘murder’ threat ahead of Dricus du Plessis war goes viral

UFC middleweight title contender Khamzat Chimaev issues a serious warning against Dricus Du Plessis ahead of their potential title fight.

Khamzat Chimaev’s ‘murder’ threat ahead of Dricus du Plessis war goes viral

Khamzat Chimaev wants to seriously hurt Dricus Du Plessis in the potential fight (via Imago)

UFC fighters often make futile comments ahead of the fight to make things interesting and don’t follow through. However, that is not the case with middleweight title contender Khamzat Chimaev, who is known for his brutal fighting style. As he prepares for his upcoming title fight with Dricus Du Plessis, the fighter’s latest threats are bone-chilling warnings.

Du Plessis has long awaited this opportunity and is determined to prove he’s the best fighter in the entire division. His coach, Morne Visser, revealed in a recent interview that they’re preparing for a grueling ground war against Chimaev’s relentless wrestling. Despite the warning, Chimaev remains completely unfazed and confident, believing his skills will dominate Du Plessis. 

Let them prep for war, I’m preparing for murder 

Khamzat Chimaev via Adam Zubayraev

Chimaev remains undefeated in the UFC and has built a reputation for finishing opponents quickly within the early rounds. He’s dominated seasoned veterans like Kevin Holland and Li Jingliang, leaving fans amazed by his explosive and relentless wrestling ability. Although a wrestler, his killer instinct makes him entertaining, unlike more conservative fighters such as Merab Dvalishvili or Belal Muhammad.

In his last bout, ‘Borz’ faced former champion Robert Whittaker and impressively finished him within the very first round. The submission was brutal as Chimaev broke Whittaker’s jaw. Still, Du Plessis remains unfazed and confident, trusting in his own durability. DDP’s unorthodox fighting style and natural size advantage could present unique problems for Chimaev in their highly anticipated title clash.

The fight was initially rumored for UFC 316, with early reports suggesting the champion might be dealing with an injury. However, Du Plessis denied those claims and confirmed the title fight, though the exact date remains unannounced for now. Meanwhile, Chimaev has stayed active online, trading playful jibes to keep fans entertained in the buildup to the bout.

Reinier de Ridder predicts Khamzat Chimaev vs. Dricus Du Plessis 

Dricus Du Plessis’ UFC rise has been both monumental and surprising, defying early doubts about his unconventional fighting style. Initially dismissed by experts, he gradually silenced critics by consistently winning and proving his effectiveness inside the octagon. Since capturing the title from Sean Strickland last year, DDP has defended it twice with dominant and convincing performances throughout.

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

Especially his title fight with former champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, which showed that DDP is extremely well-rounded. Ahead of the upcoming fight, many have given their prediction, including former One Championship title holder, Reinier de Ridder. In a recent interview he talked about why he believes Du Plessis will win the fight. 

I’ve trained with both of them. I’d say especially in a five round fight, Khamzat is most likely going to come out guns blazing again, shoot right away but Dricus is not that easy to take down….He keeps going. That’s the crazy thing. He looks dead tired, the technique but somehow he stays strong, stays very explosive. I’m going with Dricus but Khamzat would be cool, too, if it gets it. But I think Dricus has a good chance.

Reinier de Ridder via MMA Fighting 

De Ridder recently faced top UFC prospect Bo Nickal at UFC Des Moines and emerged victorious in a stunning performance. He shocked everyone by neutralizing Nickal’s All-American wrestling and securing a second-round TKO finish impressively. With this win, RDR has now established himself as a serious contender and future threat to the middleweight title.

Similar to the highly competitive welterweight and lightweight divisions, the middleweight division has seen a surge in new competitors. Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho are some of the biggest names in the title run to fight Dricus Du Plessis in the future. Nevertheless, it would be interesting to see whether the South African manages to hold on to his belt against Khamzat Chimaev.