Chael Sonnen: Khamzat Chimaev win puts Dricus Du Plessis in top three pound-for-pound
Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) defends his UFC middleweight title against Khamzat Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) in the Aug. 16 main event from United Center in Chicago (ESPN+, ESPN, pay-per-view).
By handing Chimaev his first-career loss, Sonnen says Du Plessis would move up a couple of spots in the UFC's pound-for-pound rankings. Du Plessis holds two wins over Sean Strickland, and finishes over former middleweight champions Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya.
"In a division that tough, and I used to be the king at middleweight, I knew middleweights inside and out, they did not have 10 Anderson Silvas at middleweight, but they do now," Sonnen said on "Good Guy/Bad Guy" with Daniel Cormier. If Dricus can go out and look good and get the win over Chimaev, I think he all of a sudden is going to be flirting with Islam's space and Ilia's space.
"He's going to be flirting with the top three, and that's the only way we know how to compliment them in our industry, we give them a belt, we give them a main event, then we give them a little bit more, and that top three pound-for-pound placing is very within reach right now for Dricus."
Oddsmakers are currently not favoring that outcome as Du Plessis enters his fight with Chimaev as a slight +150 underdog according to DraftKings.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
4 minutes ago
- USA Today
Roman Dolidze vs. Anthony Hernandez prediction, pick: UFC on ESPN 72 middleweight melee
185-pounders headline UFC Apex card in Las Vegas MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom goes in-depth to break down the biggest fights in the UFC. Today, he takes a closer look at the UFC on ESPN 72 main event between Roman Dolidze and Anthony Hernandez. Roman Dolidze UFC on ESPN 72 preview Staple info: Supplemental info: Anthony Hernandez UFC on ESPN 72 preview Staple info: Supplemental info: Roman Dolidze vs. Anthony Hernandez point of interest: Middleweight maelstrom The main event in the Apex features a middleweight matchup between Anthony Hernandez and Roman Dolidze. An inherent pace fighter who was forced to overcome some early obstacles in his UFC career, Hernandez has since developed his breakneck pace into an effective process from the feet to the floor. Primarily utilizing a boxing-centric attack, Hernandez wastes little time getting going, working behind a steady dose of prodding jabs and feints. The 31-year-old contender does a decent job of getting his head off the centerline, parlaying his slipping motions into uppercut-hook returns. Hernandez also appears to have some solid eyes inside the pocket, and can punch off of single collar ties and body blocks alike. That said, body shots have had a solid effect on "Fluffy" before, so he'll need to respect the offense coming back his way. A marauding madman on all fronts, Dolidze – despite his grappling base – has proven that he is not afraid to mix things up on the feet. Competent from either stance, Dolidze is a fairly flexible striker despite his lack of process. Whether Dolidze is looking to incite exchanges by initiating or countering in combination, the 37-year-old Georgian throws almost everything with fight-ending intentions. When feeling in stride, Dolidze will unleash some surprisingly fast and flashy kicks, typically targeting the head and body. Dolidze has also shown the ability to sneakily connect punches to kicks and knees off of the same side, particularly when looking to close distance in open-stance affairs. Dolidze has been steadily sharpening his tools and tactics since working stateside with Eric Nicksick and the Xtreme Couture MMA crew, so I'll be curious to see which direction the Georgian decides to approach this contest. Roman Dolidze vs. Anthony Hernandez point of interest: Potential grappling threats Considering the kind of action that the smaller octagon can influence, no one should be shocked if this fight hits the floor. Despite Dolidze's wildcard sensibilities, the smart money says that Hernandez will be the first and more frequent takedown pursuant between the two. Playing off of both pressure and a high-to-low attack looks alike, Hernandez typically looks to shoot when he has his opposition on the back foot and headed toward the fence. Even though the 11-year pro maintains a solid takedown percentage rate, his game isn't necessarily reliant on completing his first shot. An avid chain wrestler, Hernandez understands the power of transitional grappling and being able to extend exchanges. Luckily for Dolidze, he's far from a slouch in grappling or wrestling transitions. Although process and consistency aren't things that are typically synonymous with Dolidze's game, the Georgian fighter has displayed serviceable takedown tools in the past. Dolidze is athletic enough for shot attempts in the open, but the 37-year-old pro appears to prefer working things out from the clinch. Utilizing his long limbs, Dolidze does well at either securing grips for takedown attempts or framing for devastating knees and strikes off the breaks. That said, Dolidze is not beyond being taken down or out-positioning himself, so he'll have to be careful about falling prey to Hernandez's patented 'spin cycle.' Working off of an almost catch wrestling-like process, Hernandez is an impeccable positional rider who makes his money by forcing his opposition onto all fours (e.g., referee's position in wrestling). Typically riding from the side with the option of a single hook in, Hernandez will keep his opponents weight down and forward via cross wrists and leg levers, transitioning between strikes and head-and-arm guillotine variations (a.k.a. boa chokes). And whenever his opposition turns into them or a choke attempt fails, Hernandez's front-headlock acumen allows him to transition to and from his home riding position – hence the spin cycle. Nevertheless, Hernandez will still need to mind his near-side leg whenever grappling alongside an animal like Dolidze. Aside from the finishes he's been accruing in said space, Dolidze is also the type of opportunistic grappler who will go for submissions in strange and unorthodox positions. Not afraid to invert his guard or drop for a leg, Dolidze's competence and confidence make for a dangerous dance partner in this division. Roman Dolidze vs. Anthony Hernandez odds The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the Mexican-American fighter, listing Hernandez -320 and Dolidze +245 via FanDuel. Roman Dolidze vs. Anthony Hernandez prediction, pick Despite the odds seeming wide for a fight with a heavy forecast of violence attached, I can't say that I disagree with who is favored. Although I have an admitted bias to Eric Nicksick-trained fighters under the Xtreme Couture banner, I genuinely try to be as unbiased as I can when breaking down these fights. And even if I know Nicksick is smart enough to have his fighter come in like a kamikaze in regards to assaulting the allegedly soft body of Hernandez, I'm still not sure I can reliably count on a wildman like Dolidze to stick to a game plan. Sure, said wildness is also what makes Dolidze so dangerous and lovable alike, but it's hard to bank on when he's standing across a more consistent fighter with a superior gas tank and proven process. Add in the fact that Dolidze tends to surrender rear-waist clinches and resets to tripod-like positions (places where Hernandez pays his mortgage from), and I can't help but side with "Fluffy" in this spot. I'll be incredibly happy for Nicksick and the team if Dolidze can come through as an underdog with a leg lock or liver kick early, but as an analyst who is putting aside his bias, I'll pick Hernandez to survive the storm and force a stoppage via strikes in the latter rounds. Prediction: Hernandez inside the distance Roman Dolidze vs. Anthony Hernandez start time, how to watch As the main event, Dolidze and Hernandez are expected to make their walks to the octagon at approximately 9:45 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
USA Today
4 minutes ago
- USA Today
ESPN's Greg McElroy explains why Alabama football is so high in his preseason top 10
Former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback and ESPN college football commentator Greg McElroy disagrees with his alma mater's ranking in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll. Alabama was ranked No. 8 in the preseason Coaches Poll on Monday, one spot below the Oregon Ducks at No. 7 and one spot ahead of the LSU Tigers at No. 9. The Texas Longhorns were No. 1, followed by the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 2. McElroy unveiled his own preseason top 10 rankings on the Thursday edition of his podcast, "Always College Football." The starting quarterback for Alabama's 2009 national championship team has the Crimson Tide at No. 5 entering the 2025 season. Only one SEC team (Texas at No. 4) ranked ahead of the Crimson Tide, who landed one spot in front of the Georgia Bulldogs in McElroy's top 10. McElroy boasted about the Crimson Tide's wide receiver room and secondary unit, giving particular praise to sophomore sensation Ryan Williams, Miami Hurricanes transfer Isaiah Horton, and senior Germie Bernard. "Outside of Jeremiah Smith, I think most people would look at Ryan Williams as the second best game-breaking wide receiver in America this year. Going into his second year, getting bigger, getting more physical, getting stronger and now the ability to slide into his more natural position of flanker, strong side receiver, that's exactly where he can really excel to the point in which he becomes an All-American his first two years on campus." --ESPN's Greg McElroy on Ryan Williams. Horton, who had the second most catches for Miami a year ago with top overall NFL Draft pick Cam Ward at quarterback, will be a matchup problem for opponents this season, McElroy believes. "His addition to the more traditional X position where he's going to be the weak side isolation wide receiver, he's a matchup problem," McElroy said of Horton. "A guy that's going to win a lot of one-on-ones and can go up and make those contested catches in the red zone." Horton caught 56 passes for 616 yards as a sophomore in 2024. McElroy believes Horton's 6-foot-4 frame gives Alabama some much-needed size at receiver compared to Williams and Bernard (6-foot-1). "Last year, Alabama at wide receiver was a little undersized," McElroy said. "They didn't have great length. They didn't have guys that were able to go up and win that super physical 50-50 ball. Isaiah Horton is now that guy, which allows Germie Bernard to slide more into the slot and be a versatile piece that can motion, can give you the jet sweep, line up in the backfield, slide into the slot and create a matchup problem." By themselves, Williams, Bernard and Horton have a chance to be one of the best trios at wide receiver in the country, McElroy believes. And that's not counting the overall depth that Alabama has at receiver. "You've got Cole Adams. He's back from injury and should be a really solid slot receiver. They have Jalen Hale, and there's tons of buzz about a redshirt freshman named Rico Scott who a lot of people believe is on the cusp of of a potential breakout year." --Greg McElroy on Alabama's wide receiver room. Alabama secondary one of Tide's biggest strengths McElroy praised Alabama's secondary unit as one of the best in the country entering 2025, a sentiment shared by CBS Sports, PFF (Pro Football Focus) and others earlier this summer. "I wouldn't be surprised, honestly, in the secondary if they're in the top two, top three, maybe even the top spot overall," he said Thursday. "They have so much experience back there and they have so much talent in the back end." McElroy got into what he liked most about the Crimson Tide's defensive backs, beginning with returning starters Domani Jackson and Zabien Brown at cornerback, and Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb at safety. "In the secondary, this was the biggest question mark on the entire roster (in 2024). Now, it's probably their biggest strength. You bring back Domani Jackson, who had a chance to go pro but decided to return. You bring back Bray Hubbard, who had a breakthrough year last year because when Keon Sabb got hurt, Hubbard stepped in and had a highly productive season there as a first-year starter. "Keon Sabb is now back healthy. He played most of last year with an injured foot. He ends up breaking that foot against Tennessee and was lost for the year, but the fact that he played most of last year on one leg tells you what this guy might be capable of." --Greg McElroy on Alabama's secondary heading into 2025 McElroy believes that Brown in particular could become an elite cornerback. "Zabien Brown, who had a really good freshman year, could take a big leap as a lockdown corner," McElroy said. "You add Cam Calhoun from Utah, he's going to be a great depth piece there as a nickel... (Cornerback) is probably their deepest position, and maybe their most talented position." The biggest concern for Alabama football entering 2025 McElroy said his biggest concern for Alabama was its ability to stay healthy. To that end, Sabb missed the second half of last year after his season-ending injury at Tennessee. Linebacker Deontae Lawson also went down for the year with an ACL tear in the late-season loss at Oklahoma. McElroy believes Alabama is "better equipped" to handle injuries this season. "But in the event they have a similar injury year to what they had a year ago, they could get really young in a hurry. That's something that you have to be mind of," he cautioned. As it stands, McElroy says that Alabama's starting 22 is as strong as any in college football. "Their starting 22 is outstanding and if they stay healthy across the board, do not be surprised if this team is contending again for a national championship. But if they get banged up the way they did a little bit last year, then that level of play could drop off and that could lead to an unforeseen loss at some point throughout the season." Alabama football schedule 2025 Alabama opens the season against Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Aug. 30. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ABC. Follow us at @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinions.
NBC Sports
35 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Jim Harbaugh says Najee Harris has "a chance" to play Week One
It's still not clear whether the eye injury suffered by Chargers running back Najee Harris in a Fourth of July fireworks accident will keep him off the field for the start of the regular season. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh was asked about Harris today and didn't give a clear answer about whether he'll be able to play in Week One. Asked if Harris might not be ready for the opener, Harbaugh answered, 'There's a chance he is,' according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. Harris posted a picture on social media that led to speculation that he can't open his injured eye, but Harbaugh said he can open it. Although Harris's agent originally called the injury 'superficial,' an injury that could keep him off the field more than two months later would seem to be more serious than that. Harbaugh said he doesn't want to say anything about the injury beyond what he has seen. 'I don't comment because I'm not a doctor. I'm not Mr Harris' agent either. I'm talking about what I know, and 'can he open his eye?' Yeah. I've looked into his eye. I can tell you stuff like that,' Harbaugh said. 'Past that I don't want to characterize something or put words on something or a diagnosis. Just not qualified to do that.' Whether Harris will qualify for the active roster when the Chargers open the season against the Chiefs on September 5 in Brazil remains to be seen.
