Dricus du Plessis has revealed that a UFC title defense against Khamzat Chimaev was initially discussed.
When du Plessis steps back inside Octagon, he’ll be facing a familiar foe. The reigning middleweight champion will go one-on-one with the man he narrowly defeated for the gold, Sean Strickland. The two first collided in early 2024 and it was du Plessis who scored the split decision win to capture the 185-pound gold.
The two will meet again at UFC 312 on February 8th, but it was Chimaev’s name that was originally on the table.
Dricus du Plessis Reveals There Were Talks of Khamzat Chimaev Fight Before UFC 312 Announcement
During an interview with FOX Sports Australia, Dricus du Plessis was asked if Khamzat Chimaev was ever in play for his next UFC Middleweight Championship defense. The 185-pound ruler revealed that “Borz” actually was in consideration.
“It was on the table for sure,” du Plessis said. “We talked about it, but it wasn’t from our side or from his side where the fight didn’t happen. I think it was some issues with the UFC and Khazmat, I’m not sure. And timing, I think timing played a big role, but there were conversations and I said that’s the fight I want, so let’s do it. They couldn’t make it happen. So, Strickland is the fight they did.”
Some thought Chimaev would leapfrog Sean Strickland for a UFC middleweight title shot after his emphatic submission victory over Robert Whittaker. It’ll be interesting to see what issues the UFC may have run into when trying to book Chimaev against DDP.