Khamzat Chimaev will challenge Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight title atop the UFC 319 pay-per-view (PPV) event on Sat. night (Aug. 16, 2025) at United Center in Chicago. Prior to this weekend’s five-round title fight, Chimaev had an early run-in with Du Plessis while on the ground in the “Windy City.”
Respect today, violence on Saturday.
“There was nothing but respect,” Du Plessis told The Schmo. “He said to me that he’s happy that I’m healthy and ready to go, and I said to him, ‘right back at you.’ It doesn’t always have to be that hostile, but when the cage closes, I’m in there to kill him. I’m better than him in every single aspect. I’m built different and I’m the champion for a reason and he’s gonna find out on Saturday night. The goal always remains the same: to be the greatest ever do this sport.”
So what about that “massive” size disparity?
“Maybe it was the angle,” Du Plessis told Helen Yee. “I stood in front of him. He is definitely not taller than me. Maybe a little; maybe like, half an inch. Yeah, you’ll see. And the other thing, I don’t give a sh*t how big he is. That’s not what wins fights. But yeah, I saw him, he is definitely not bigger than me.”