BREAKING! Dana White snubs Khamzat Chimaev for title shot and grants Dricus du Plessis fight for middleweight belt

Dana White passes up Khamzat Chimaev for the middleweight title in favor of Dricus Du Plessis.

BREAKING! Dana White snubs Khamzat Chimaev for title shot and grants Dricus du Plessis fight for middleweight belt

Dana White passes up Khamzat Chimaev for Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title shot (via Imago)

Khamzat Chimaev, who was widely expected to compete for the UFC middleweight title, has been passed up for the opportunity. Dana White had announced that the winner of Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev will fight for the middleweight title. However, UFC announced that newly-crowned middleweight champion Sean Strickland will face the No. 2 ranked opponent Dricus Du Plessis in his first title defense at UFC 297 in Toronto, putting Chimaev on the sidelines.

If the Isreal Adesanya rematch wasn’t going to happen, Dricus Du Plessis was the natural contender for the middleweight belt. His last fight was an elegant technical knockout victory over former champion Robert Whittaker.  Du Plessis now gets the opportunity to compete for the renowned middleweight title in Toronto against the newly crowned Sean Strickland. This is what Dana White had to say: 

In January, we are doing Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis.
Dana White via X
YouTube video

The decision to pass up Chimaev for the title chance has sparked debate and speculation in the MMA world. While the actual reasons for doing so are unknown, various variables may have influenced the UFC’s decision. Chimaev’s recent troubles, including visa issues, a nagging hand injury, and a less-than-impressive performance against late-replacement opponent Kamaru Usman, might be some of the possibilities.

FS Video

The absence of Khamzat Chimaev from the title picture has become a topic of intense discussion. The MMA community has had mixed reactions to this announcement with the majority supporting this decision. Fight fans eagerly await further developments and announcements regarding UFC 297 and what lies ahead for the rising star, Du Plessis, in the middleweight division.

Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka to be the exciting highlight of UFC 295

The highly anticipated UFC 295 event at Madison Square Garden in New York City will feature an exciting battle between two excellent fighters: Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka. The main event was supposed to be a fight between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight title. However, Jones pulled out due to injury, allowing Pereira and Prochazka to take center stage.

Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira to highlight the main event of UFC 295
Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira to highlight the main event of UFC 295 (via Sportstar The Hindu/BetUS)

Alex Pereira, the former UFC middleweight champion, made his 205-pound debut by defeating former champion Jan Blachowicz. He plans to get the belt back and win the vacant light heavyweight championship.

Jiri Prochazka, the previous light heavyweight champion, had to relinquish the belt due to an injury. He’s on a three-fight winning run and has become a fan favorite due to his distinctive fighting style and knockout power.

Fight fans excitedly await the event where the focus stays on Alex Pereira and Prochazka. These two warriors have the opportunity to make UFC history with an incredible fight at the legendary Madison Square Garden venue.

In case you missed it: