Dricus Du Plessis (left) and Khamzat Chimaev during weigh-ins for UFC 319 at Radius Chicago in Chicago on August 15, 2025. — Reuters
Dricus du Plessis has shared his opinion on a potential rematch against the UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, and he also described how he sees the match unfolding.
In their previous match, Chimaev dominated Du Plessis to win the UFC middleweight championship after a commanding performance at UFC 319 last August at the United Center.
The Chechen-born fighter earned a unanimous decision win, with all three judges scoring the contest 50-44 in his favour.
Chimaev set the tone in the opening round, shooting for an early takedown and trapping Du Plessis in a crucifix position. While his strikes did minimal damage, his control on the ground showcased his dominance.
The second round followed a similar script, as the 31-year-old relentlessly took the fight to the mat.
Controlling his opponent’s back, Chimaev threatened with choke attempts and knees, leaving Du Plessis fatigued as the fight wore on.
By the third and fourth rounds, the South African found himself stuck in disadvantageous positions with little room to mount a comeback.
In an interview with Fight Forecast, Dricus du Plessis was asked how he imagines the rematch against Khamzat Chimaev, to which he replied that he does not see any surprises if they fight again.
“Fighting Khamzat again is, of course, what I’m after. Am I expecting any surprises? No. There’s not going to be any surprises. I mean, that’s the way he’s going to fight, and if he tries anything different, it will be a terrible night,” Du Plessis said.
“He did what he had to do to win that belt, and we can’t hate him for that… It’s the rules of the game, and he did it… It’s my responsibility to go out there, fix that, stop him from doing it again, and make him fight my fight.”