Drikus du Plessis unveiled his strategy to conquer Hamzat Chimaev
The UFC middleweight championship is on the line as Dricus du Plessis and Hamzat Chimaev prepare to face off at UFC 319 in Chicago, USA on August 17.
Du Plessis, the current champion, has expressed confidence that he can tire out Chimaev and force a submission. However, Chimaev, who is fighting for his first title under the UFC banner, has made significant strategic adjustments for this five-round title fight.
In a shift reminiscent of Khabib Nurmagomedov's style, Chimaev has focused on maintaining top control and landing strikes rather than aggressively hunting for submissions or knockouts. This approach allowed him to neutralize du Plessis's offense effectively during his training sessions.
Chimaev's wrestling skills were also on display, with him taking du Plessis down multiple times and keeping him on the ground for an impressive 21 minutes and 40 seconds. This control led to a record 529 strikes landed.
To avoid exhausting himself in a five-round fight, Chimaev and his corner decided to stick to the game plan, emphasizing wrestling and control rather than risking energy in striking exchanges. Despite Chimaev's urge to switch to striking after the third round, his corner advised him to maintain the strategy.
Du Plessis, on the other hand, has mentioned that he has fought tired for long periods in the past and is not afraid to go to a 'dark place'. He challenged Chimaev to a fast-paced fight, from the first bell to the last, implying a potential high-energy battle.
The UFC middleweight division has seen a new addition, with another Russian fighter joining the ranks, but details about this fighter were not provided in the article.
Du Plessis stated that Chimaev did not change his strategy against Robert Whittaker, even in a five-round fight. This could potentially play into du Plessis's strategy, as he believes Chimaev is not thinking about five rounds, and should be.
The UFC middleweight champion, Du Plessis, is heading into the fight as the underdog. A Hall of Famer has even predicted potential obscurity for Chimaev without a title win.
Meanwhile, in a separate event, Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes are set to rematch for the PFL title.
In the UFC 319 main event, Chimaev will be the challenger, looking to dethrone Du Plessis and claim the middleweight title. The fight promises to be an exciting clash between two powerful and determined fighters.
Bookmakers are anticipating a close contest as the sports betting odds for UFC 319's main event show a narrow advantage for challenger Hamzat Chimaev, who aims to claim the mixed-martial-arts middleweight title from current champion Dricus du Plessis.
Chimaev's strategic adjustments, illustrating more focus on wrestling and top control, are garnering attention from analysts, with some predicting that his methodical approach could prove decisive in the five-round title fight.
