![Dricus du Plessis (left) pokes fun at Khamzat Chimaev (right). [Images courtesy: Getty]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/b60e5-17472849215431-1920.jpg)
![Dricus du Plessis (left) pokes fun at Khamzat Chimaev (right). [Images courtesy: Getty]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Dricus du Plessis will face Khamzat Chimaev in the headliner clash of UFC 319 on Aug 16. Prior to the fight, the UFC middleweight champion had been poking fun at the Chechen fighter.
After the bout was announced, Nassourdine Imavov was reported as the official backup to the fight between 'Stillknocks' and 'Borz'. Hearing this, Du Plessis did not shy away from mocking Chimaev. Referring to the Chechen fighter's record of pullouts, the UFC middleweight champion said:
"Guess I'm fighting @imavov_nassourdine"
Check out Dricus du Plessis' comments below:
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![Dricus du Plessis' reaction. [Screenshot courtesy: @dricusduplessis on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/e72da-17472846872956-1920.jpg)
After three on-the-bounce victories following his UFC debut, 'Borz' was to face Leon Edwards in December 2020. However, Chimaev contracted COVID-19, which threatened the bout. Despite numerous efforts to rearrange, the bout was canceled as Chimaev was unable to shake off COVID-19.
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Although he returned and started competing for the UFC again, another incident occurred in June 2024 when Chimaev withdrew from his scheduled fight against Robert Whittaker at the first-ever UFC event in Saudi Arabia due to illness.
Jamahal Hill predicts Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev clash
While Khamzat Chimaev has posted dominating displays in the UFC, he has never contested a match that went the distance of five rounds. Dricus du Plessis believes he has the upper hand over Chimaev when it comes to that aspect.
During a recent interview with Helen Yee, Jamahal Hill also made his prediction for the bout between 'Stillknocks' and 'Borz,' quoting the same point. Claiming that Du Plessis has superior cardio to Chimaev, Hill said:
"I probably favor DDP [Dricus du Plessis] in that one just for the simple fact that I've doubted this dude so many times now and he's shut me up bad... I think he's got the better cardio. His physical strength, I believe, can pose a problem for anybody in that division. We've seen Khamzat fade over the course of rounds before."
Check out Jamahal Hill's comments below:
