It is Vechtweek for Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev.
One of the largest middleweight title fights in the recent memory will fall on Saturday at UFC 319 from Chicago, Illinois. The champion Du Plessis tries to defend his title for the third time against the unbeaten prodigy Khamzat Chimaev.
Both hunters have a combined 25-field profit reak and have never lost in the Octagon, which increases the bet even higher.
The UFC world is divided on who will win between the weird well-rounded du Plessis and the highly praised wrestler in Chimaev. Darren Until he supports Chimaev to claim the title, while other former enemies Sean Strickland and Gilbert Burns Pick 'Still Knocks' are his first loss to Chimaev.
A former UFC middleweight title holder is the last to leave his prediction for the UFC 319 headliner.
Photo by Paul Kane/Getty images
Chris Weidman predicts Dricus du Plessis to beat Khamzat Chimaev more than 2.5 rounds
Just like many other experts, says UFC hunter who has become Chris Weidman, Chimaev's best chance of Du Plessis is in the first few rounds.
At the UFC Vegas 109 Post-Fight Show, Weidman pointed out that Chimaev had problems with his cardio in earlier fights with Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman, the only hunters who make it the three round distance with 'Borz'.
Chimaev has never seen the championship rounds.
Nevertheless, UFC analysts chose Din Thomas and Alan Jouban Chimaev to win against Du Plessis.
As far as Weidman is concerned, the former middleweight champion must choose the side of the South African.
“Wow, I am going to Dricus,” Weidman responded to the rest of the employment agency's predictions.
'I'm going later [in the fight] Because I'm a genius.
“What's wrong with you?” Weidman said about the analysts who choose Chimaev.
“Listen, we have just talked about Chimaev's cardio as the problem. DDP, he has shown that he has solved it. But you also have eliminated that argument by saying that it is your style and it actually comes down to how comfortable you are there.
“Dolidze could be in the best form of his life in this fight. Hernandez has made him uncomfortable. I think DDP does great job to make people uncomfortable and what makes you often comfortable is the experience to be there in these five -round fights …
“Chimaev doesn't have that,” Weidman explained.
“I think it is in the championship rounds,” predicts the former champion for Du Plessis vs. Chimaev.
Will Khamzat Chimaev immediately shoot at Dricus du Plessis?
A common trend that we have seen from Chimaev in the UFC are very early Takedown attempts.
Immediately after the bell sounded for his UFC 279 fight against Kevin Holland, Chimaev rushed to the other side of the Octagon and hurt Holland for a while.
Chimaev has given his opponents many problems with his wrestling, so they have no room to run in the opening round when he is at its strongest.
Chimaev takes du Plessis in five rounds or less and could possibly follow a more measured approach in his first title fight. Many, however, believe that his chances are best in the first seconds of the fight.
We will see if Du Plessis can hold Chimaev's early barrage, should it come.