Dricus du Plessis, the current UFC middleweight champion, has weighed in on the potential rematch between Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev, calling it 'ridiculous'. This statement comes as a surprise, given du Plessis' own history with Strickland and Chimaev, as well as the current state of the middleweight division.
Du Plessis, who holds two wins over Strickland and a recent loss to Chimaev, believes that Chimaev's request for an immediate rematch is unwarranted. He argues that there are no title defenses on the horizon and that the Khamzat rematch is illogical. Instead, du Plessis suggests that the focus should be on the current contenders, such as Nassourdine Imavov, who has been patiently waiting for a shot at the title.
In a recent interview, du Plessis expressed his thoughts on the situation, stating, 'Between Sean and Khamzat, there’s no title defenses. I defended my title twice against Strickland once and against [Israel] Adesanya. The Khamzat rematch is ridiculous, it doesn’t make any sense. If they do it, I mean, it’s ridiculous. It would be crazy. Let them do what they need to do. I’ll just fight my way back. After my performance, let my performance speak.'
Du Plessis' comments highlight his frustration with the potential rematch, especially considering his own recent setbacks. He has been on a roll in the UFC, with notable wins over Strickland, Israel Adesanya, and Robert Whittaker, but a loss to Chimaev has disrupted his momentum. Now, he is focused on his upcoming bout against Kamaru Usman, a former welterweight champion, in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City.
When asked about his priorities, du Plessis made it clear that his main goal is to become the best in the world, not to chase specific opponents. He stated, 'Obviously, Khamzat would be the preference. Khamzat would be the preference, but it’s about being the champion. I’m not chasing people, I’m chasing being the best. Khamzat, I’ll get him. If he goes up, eventually I’ll get him there, but if he becomes champion I would prefer to fight him and get that win back, but it’s not something that I’m set on, ‘I hope he wins,’ but he doesn’t deserve another title shot.'
Du Plessis also mentioned his plans to move up to light heavyweight in the future, joining the ranks of recent middleweight transplants like Whittaker and Paulo Costa. For now, he is fully committed to his upcoming fight against Usman, a fellow former UFC champion.
Despite his desire to return sooner, du Plessis is grateful for the opportunity to fight again. He said, 'It’s the sport. It’s the fight game. Injuries are part of it. I mean, it’s not fun. I was supposed to come back in April but everything always works out the way it should. I really wanted to fight in April, I couldn’t, I got injured, and the injury was a bit more serious than we originally thought, so it took a little while. But I mean, I’ve been training, I’ve been ready.'
In conclusion, Dricus du Plessis' comments on the Khamzat Chimaev rematch reveal his strong opinions and his focus on becoming the best in the world. His upcoming fight against Kamaru Usman will be a crucial step in his journey, and his future plans to move up to light heavyweight further showcase his ambition and determination in the UFC.
