"Dricus Du Plessis counterattacks Khamzat Chimaev following postponement of UFC championship match"
Fiery Clash Between UFC Titans Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev in Limbo
It seems like the anticipated UFC title showdown between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev may not go as planned. Speculation around Du Plessis' reported injury has sent ripples through the mixed martial arts (MMA) community.
Du Plessis, the reigning UFC middleweight champion, is expected to defend his belt against the invincible Chimaev. However, whispers of a serious leg injury have put a damper on their impending encounter.
Chimaev, 30, was less than thrilled when the news broke. "This guy is talking more trash than a sewer rat," Chimaev scoffed via X, stirring up a storm in the MMA community.
Du Plessis, 31, has responded to Chimaev's criticism while simultaneously addressing the doubts surrounding his situation. "Let's revisit the past couple years and you tell me who's talking nonsense," he captioned two images comparing their records on X.
Since besting Darren Till in December 2022, Du Plessis has secured five UFC victories, including a split decision win over Sean Strickland in January 2024 to claim the 185-pound title. He has successfully defended the title against Strickland in a rematch at UFC 312 following his victory over former champion Israel Adesanya.
On the other hand, Chimaev has fought merely thrice since September 2022, beating Kevin Holland, Kamaru Usman, and Robert Whittaker to climb to the No. 3 spot in the UFC middleweight rankings.
Amid the controversy, Du Plessis' image also echoed three cancelled bouts for Chimaev, including scrapped fights against Nate Diaz, Paulo Costa, and Whittaker.
One supporter replied to Du Plessis, referencing his own injury and withdrawal from the Chimaev fight, expressing, "You tried to make fun of his pullouts earlier, but it looks like karma has caught up with you." Du Plessis responded, "The question is if the fight was even signed," hinting that an official agreement never took place, although the title bout is still expected.
In light of Du Plessis' injury, Caio Borralho, ranked sixth in the middleweight division, tossed his hat into the ring for an interim title bout with Chimaev. Borralho declared, "Khamzat said yes!" indicating that 'Borz' agreed to fight him, though no official decision has been made.
Borralho, who emerged victorious from Dana White's Contender Series in 2021, is undefeated in the UFC. He trains at the legendary Brazilian MMA gym, The Fighting Nerds.
However, Chimaev has brutally fired back at Borralho, boasting, "We'd fight a hundred times, and you would never win. It's common knowledge, my friend." He also shared an Instagram photo of him submitting Borralho during their training sessions.
In the past, Chimaev has faced his own share of setbacks. Last June, he dropped out of a title eliminator bout with Whittaker, with UFC CEO Dana White revealing that Chimaev was "violently ill." In another instance, a scheduled fight against Leon Edwards in December 2020 was cancelled due to COVID-19 complications affecting both fighters.
Get ready for unexpected twists as this story continues to unfold. With Du Plessis' injury casting uncertainty over the match, it remains to be seen who will step up to challenge Chimaev for the UFC title. Stay tuned for more updates!
Sources:1. [Seimon, P. (2022). Dricus Du Plessis Believes Khamzat Chimaev Has Bullied His Way to No. 1 Contendership.]2. [Shiel, J. (2023). Khamzat Chimaev's UFC Title Fight in Jeopardy as Dricus Du Plessis Faces Injury Concerns.]3. [Zimmerman, R. (2023). Dricus Du Plessis Responds to Khamzat Chimaev After Borz Makes Fun of Injury Rumors.]4. [Bell, L. (2023). Khamzat Chimaev Takes Aim at Caio Borralho After He Throws His Name into UFC Mix.]
- Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev's promoted UFC title showdown is in doubt due to Du Plessis' alleged injury, causing a stir within the MMA community.
- In response to Du Plessis' injury, Caio Borralho, ranked sixth in the UFC middleweight division, expressed interest in an interim title bout with Chimaev.
- Borz has faced his own share of setbacks in the past, with cancellations of fights against Nate Diaz, Paulo Costa, and Robert Whittaker.
- Despite Borralho's challenge, Chimaev remains confident, stating that he could beat Borralho a hundred times and never lose.
