A UFC legend does not think that Dricus Du Plessis will get enough credit for how his next title defense came together.
Du Plessis continued to prove that his doubters are wrong in the leading promotion of MMA, first by staying unbeaten into a title shot, then catching the gold, and most recently by gathering an impressive government as the middleweight king of the UFC.
Both Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya have not succeeded in dismissing the South African so far, but the champion could be set for his heaviest challenge on August 16 when Khamzat Chimaev du Plessis challenges UFC 319.
It is safe to say that most hunters have not exactly lifted their hands to fight the unbeaten Chechen phenomenon since he arrived in the UFC. Du Plessis, however, is not 'most fighters' …
Daniel Cormier praises 'honorable' Dricus du Plessis for the search for the biggest challenge
About Chimaev against 'Still Knocks' who first fled, the first in August 2024, after Du Plessis Adesanya had submitted to UFC 305 to successfully defend his title for the first time. The champion immediately pointed to the winner of 'Borz' vs. Robert Whittaker later in the year as the man he wanted to face.
Although he first had to endure Strickland again, it eventually flourished. And although the way in which Chimaev Whittaker crushed on UFC 308, some title holders may have stated to defend their gold against him, the enthusiasm of Du Plessis has apparently only increased before the game.
In an era in which champions are accused of 'diving' of their biggest threats, such as the attitude of Jon Jones towards Tom Aspinall before his retirement and recently Ilia Topuria's position about Arman Tsarukyan, Daniel Cormier has a lot of praise for the Mindet of Du Plessis.
“Let me tell you an important thing that people are missing in this – and I think this is great about Du Persis,” Cormier said on his good guy/villain show.
“He leaves the fight after beating Adesanya, with whom he had so much history – that fight was so heavy. He goes and he (says):” I will fight against everyone. “Go and beat Sean Strickland because they said Sean deserved Strickland. Immediately afterwards he goes:” I want Chimaev then. “
“Nobody said that!” Cormier continued. “Everyone said:” Well, he has to win more. “Everyone of the most difficult man in the division, the champion (usually) says:” He has to do something else … He has to win another fight, this doesn't work for me. “
“Not Dricus. Dricus looked straight along the course of the camera and said: 'I want Chimaev. “… a champion that called the toughest man in the bracket … DDP says:” The man who is going to push me the most is the man I want to see in the Octagon. ” That is really honorable in today's MMA. “
The toughest test of Khamzat Chimaev is supporting Dricus du Persis on UFC 319
Although Chimaev has so far been the majority of his UFC career, he has been pushed to the limit by a few remarkable names.
Before Kamaru Usman threatened to spoil the Chimaev Run in 2024, 'Borz' went burning with Gilbert to Welterweight. The two waged war in Jacksonville, with Chimaev who beat Burns on UFC 273 by a close decision.
'Durinho' is the Chetsjense to deep waters dragged into their fight and is well placed to judge the chances of the champion to do this on UFC 319, and Burns supports Du Plessis to go a step further than he.
“I don't believe that Dricus will be eliminated. I don't think he's being cut. I don't think he's ready,” Burns in the show told me the money podcast. “I really believe that Dricus will fight that up.
“I think if he slows the way (he did) against Kamaru, against me, against a few other hunters that the fight has gone, I think it is a nightmare to fight against Dricus.
“Both boys will get exhausted in the second round,” Burns continued. “But I really believe that Dricus with all (his) experience, many five -round fights, I think he can recover, dig deep and he hits so hard.
“Maybe a decision, but I do believe a late finish (for Du Plessis). Not even so late. I think I have third to the fourth round. That's my prediction.”