Joe Rogan and Mark Kerr Completely Rule Out Any Chances of Dricus Du Plessis Beating Khamzat Chimaev

Joe Rogan and MMA veteran Mark Kerr discuss Khamzat Chimaev's dominant victory over Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319.

Joe Rogan and Mark Kerr Completely Rule Out Any Chances of Dricus Du Plessis Beating Khamzat Chimaev

Joe Rogan and Mark Kerr believe Dricus Du Plessis can never beat Khamzat Chimaev (via X)

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Last month at UFC 319, Khamzat Chimaev fought Dricus Du Plessis and secured the UFC middleweight title. ‘Borz’ officially entered the exclusive elite list of superstars who have become undefeated champions with the dominant win. In the fight, Chimaev suffocated Du Plessis across five long rounds with relentless wrestling, brutally exposing the massive skill gap between them.

UFC veteran and Hall of Famer Mark Kerr recently appeared on Joe Rogan’s popular podcast to discuss his upcoming biopic movie, The Smashing Machine. The film stars WWE superstar Dwayne Johnson, who has stunned fans worldwide with his incredible physical transformation for the role.

During their conversation, Kerr and Rogan also analyzed recent UFC matchups, particularly the intense clash between undefeated Khamzat Chimaev and DDP. Rogan praised Chimaev’s relentless wrestling expertise, emphasizing the unique attributes that make ‘Borz’ an unstoppable force inside the UFC octagon.

That level of dominance against a world champion is crazy… Look at what he did to all these guys. He knocks out Robert Whittaker, he beats [Israel] Adesanya, he (expletive) beat Sean Strickland twice. Oh my god! He might be one of the greatest of all time, and then after that fight you’re like, ‘I don’t think he’s ever going to beat that guy’… I don’t think there is enough time in the world to bridge that gap.

Joe Rogan via JRE #2384

Kerr supported Joe Rogan’s analysis and recalled the fight between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili, calling it a similar example. In the early days of the UFC, high-level wrestlers like Mark Kerr and Mark Coleman dominated the other fighters. Chimaev and other high-level wrestlers in the UFC prove that dominant wrestling can overcome other style of fighting.

Kerr explained that just like O’Malley cannot surpass Dvalishvili, Du Plessis will always remain behind Khamzat Chimaev due to the expertise in wrestling. Interestingly, Rogan previously discussed the same matter with BJJ superstar Gordon Ryan during a recent podcast episode.

Ryan emphasized that even if he personally trained Du Plessis daily for an entire year, Chimaev still remained unbeatable. However, Du Plessis’ coach is confident about the fighter’s steady progress in training and is determined to secure revenge during a rematch. Unfortunately, the opportunity might take significant time, considering the crowded divisional contenders at the moment.

Khamzat Chimaev gets a warning from a top middleweight contender

Since Khamzat Chimaev became the middleweight champion, several big names began calling him out for the next title fight. Veterans like Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa, who already have heated rivalries with Chimaev, quickly announced their clear intentions to fight. Apart from them, rising contenders such as Nassourdine Imavov secured a potential title shot after his impressive win over Caio Borralho. 

Khamzat Chimaev vs Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319
Khamzat Chimaev vs Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 (via The Sporting News)

Former ONE FC champion Reinier de Ridder is also now in contention and is currently scheduled against Brendan Allen at UFC Vancouver. In a recent interview, De Ridder openly revealed his long-term plans, targeting a huge middleweight title fight with Khamzat Chimaev early next year.

I don’t want to wait. I want to line myself up to fight maybe before Ramadan. If Khamzat wants to fight before Ramadan, I want to be ready for that time. I want to fight right now, and the UFC wanted to keep me on the fight in Vancouver, so it worked out that way. But we just got a new batch of Chechen guys at the gym, so I’ve been working a lot on my wrestling with those guys over the last couple of weeks.

Renier de Ridder via MMA Junkie 

Khamzat Chimaev has repeatedly stated he was ready to fight absolutely anyone the UFC offers, provided the financial rewards are worthwhile. Although his last fight displayed dominance, many fans criticized it as boring because it completely lacked major submission threats or dramatic moments.

Supporters now hope the ‘Borz’ returns to his aggressive roots, taking greater risks while chasing spectacular submissions during fights. It remains to be seen if Chimaev entertains the crowd with risks or chooses his safest path using wrestling to create an everlasting legacy.

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