"No excuses for my performance" - Dricus du Plessis makes feelings known in powerful message following Khamzat Chimaev fight at UFC 319

Dricus du Plessis has finally opened up about his recent loss to Khamzat Chimaev, which resulted in him losing the UFC middleweight championship as well.

'Stillknocks' faced Chimaev in the main event of UFC 319 on Aug. 16. During the bout, du Plessis struggled to counter the Chechen-born fighter's wrestling skills and ultimately lost by unanimous decision.

In a post on Instagram, du Plessis reflected on his defeat, writing:

"It’s been just over a week, and I have spent some time with my family and friends, those closest to me who will be with me win or lose. I embrace this loss with open arms, because believe me, as much as I hate losing, it’s as much part of life as part of our game... I have absolutely no excuses for my performance. I was beaten by a better fighter on the night."

He added:

"Congratulations to my opponent, and thank you for the honour of sharing the octagon with you. Thank you for all the love and support from fans all over the world... I believe in the plan of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for He knows best, and I can’t wait to see what He has planned for me going forward."

Check out Dricus du Plessis' post below:

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Coach Morne Visser sheds light on Dricus du Plessis' potential return timeline

Dricus du Plessis' defeat to Khamzat Chimaev marked the South African fighter's first loss of his UFC career. Chimaev outclassed du Plessis by achieving 21 minutes and 40 seconds of control time and landing a total of 529 strikes.

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, du Plessis' coach, Morne Visser, discussed the potential timeline for his fighter's return, saying:

"So, he is obviously going to take a week off, maybe two weeks max. So that gives us, call it end of August. Then I need 12 to 16 weeks, which is like three to four months, to sort this problem [wrestling skill gap] out... I just need to fix this problem, and it's a fixable problem. I need about 12 to 16 weeks to fix the problem and then go back into camp immediately, a 12-week fight camp. So, we'll be back early next year." [20:31 of the interview video]