UFC legend makes bold prediction for Khamzat Chimaev vs Dricus Du Plessis Clash
The highly-anticipated middleweight showdown is expected to take place later this summer, with many being left torn as to how the dust-up will play out
UFC legend Chael Sonnen insists Khamzat Chimaev will have a hard time taking Dricus Du Plessis down with ease ahead of their showdown.
Dana White - the UFC chief - recently announced the blockbuster middleweight title fight - which is scheduled to take place on August 16 in Chicago. Du Plessis retained his title against Sean Strickland earlier this year, while the unbeaten Chimaev dominated ex-champion Robert Whittaker in his last outing.
Despite Chimaev's spotless record and breathtaking performance history, Sonnen believes that the South African titlist won't be an easy target. Sonnen - a former UFC title challenger - acknowledges 'Borz' as the favourite but doesn't discount the current champion's resilience.
Speaking on his official YouTube channel, the American: "How is he going to beat him? I am not fully confident that Chimaev can take him down at will. I'm not fully confident he can keep him there. We're gonna know in the very first round. If Dricus gets taken down in the first round, things are going to unravel very quickly.
"But if he can defend a takedown for the entire first five minutes, it's only going to get easier after that. It's an exciting match, I would expect Chimaev to be the favourite, and he is." Michael Bisping has expressed his shock at the startling odds that peg Chimaev as the front-runner for this summer's clash.
In fresh footage on his YouTube channel, the former middleweight champion stated: "The fact that they've got Dricus du Plessis as the underdog is insane. The man can wrestle, he's got great jiu-jitsu, he's big for the weight class, and more importantly, he has a gas tank. He has had no problems going five rounds.
"The two times Khamzat went to a decision was when he couldn't get the finish in the first or second round. That's when Gilbert Burns started to take over. That's when Kamaru Usman had a lot of success and settled the score and it almost came out as a draw. And now it's not three rounds, it's five rounds. The way that Khamzat Chimaev fights is the way that he fights. He ain't going to change. If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Ex-UFC champ Sean Strickland, who has sparred with Chimaev and battled du Plessis across 10 gruelling rounds in their two title contests at UFC 297 and UFC 312, is well-versed in the abilities of both fighters. With the bout approaching, the American middleweight sensation is predicting Du Plessis will be the one to finally put a stop to 'Borz' inside the octagon.
"They can grapple," Strickland commented on Chimaev during a chat with Helen Yee. "Someone like me, I've been training these blokes for years, I usually could counter-wrestle and grapple them. So, I just don't know if Dricus can be able to counter-wrestle him. But if he can, I think he wins, hands down." He further added: "I sparred the Chechen. Hands down, I think Dricus wins. It's just gonna come down to - are you gonna be able to stop that [takedown] and counter-wrestle him? You can. It's not hard."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Rangers transfer news: £4m-rated Brazilian linked with move after spate of loans
Ibrox club expected to be busy in summer transfer window Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Brazilian-Congolese playmaker Metinho has emerged as a summer transfer target for Rangers, according to reports. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder is currently on loan at Basel in the Swiss Super League on loan from French Ligue 2 side Troyes. He has become a first-team regular at Basel since making the move in January after spending the first half of the campaign with Sparta Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Metinho has also spent time with Lommel SK in Belgium as well as Fluminense in Brazil and once had a reputation as a rising star in his homeland. Metinho has spent time in Netherlands with Sparta Rotterdam. | ANP/AFP via Getty Images Rangers are in the midst of a takeover spearheaded by 49ers Enterprises and American businessman Andrew Cavenagh. They are also hunting for a new manager after the departure of Philippe Clement back in February, with Barry Ferguson in temporary charge. There is expected to be major changes in the playing squad over the summer as well and the Scottish Sun reports that Rangers are prepared to spend £4 million for Metinho, with his parent club Troyes - who are part of the City Group - set to remain in Ligue 2 in France. Rangers squad changes Metinho has 12 months remaining on his contract at the Stade de l'Aube and is understood to see his future away from France. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Rangers are set to lose some of their current attacking midfielders, with Ianis Hagi and Tom Lawrence likely to depart in the summer, while wide attacker Vaclav Cerny is on loan from Wolfsburg. The majority of their central midfield options prefer to play deeper.
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Rangers told asking price for talented 22 y/o as 145-goal EPL striker 'weighs up' Ibrox switch
Rangers have been linked to a double transfer deal. Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Rangers have been told they must cough up a significant fee if they want to land midfield target Metinho this summer after Troyes informed the club of their asking price. The talented 22-year-old is thought to be high on the list of targets for the club's new American owners, with Rangers said to have made an enquiry to the Ligue 2 club made last month following his impressive season on loan to Swiss Super League giants FC Basel. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Moving to Stade de l'Aube on a £4million deal from Fluminense back in 2021, the Congolese-born player made a big impression in Switzerland's top flight, with his strong performances helping FC Basel to win their first league title since 2017. The Swiss champions are keen to keep him at St. Jakob-Park permanently too, and are keeping an eye on developments. Jamie Vardy is a free agent and has been linked with a move to Rangers. | Getty Images His form in Switzerland has now led him to become a 'major' target for Rangers this summer, with the player having just one year left to run on his current deal. However, despite this, the French outfit have slapped a huge £5million asking fee on the young midfielder's head. Troyes, who are part of the City Football Group, are reported to be willing to sanction a deal for the player, but only if their asking price if met. Elsewhere, legendary Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy is be 'weighing up' a move to Ibrox after Rangers emerged as potential suitors for the veteran forward, who has scored 145 goals during his time in the English Premier League. The 38-year-old striker is a free agent after leaving the Foxes at the end of his contract, and has plenty of interest in his services, despite his advancing years with clubs in the MLS and the Saudi Pro League hopeful of landing the iconic Englishman. However, a report from the Daily Mirror claim that Vardy is tempted by a move to Ibrox this summer due to the club's potential participation in next season's UEFA Champions League. The experienced former England international last played in the competition for Leicester during the 2016/17 season, and sees Rangers as a potential route back to the competition should the club navigate their qualifying campaign. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Next Rangers manager: Why intellectual Russell Martin would be 'positive thing' for Ibrox club
Gunn played with Martin and knows what he can bring to Rangers Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn has endorsed former teammate Russell Martin as a good fit for Rangers after it emerged that the 39-year-old is close to being appointed as the Ibrox club's new head coach. Reports emerged on Tuesday lunchtime that Rangers are poised to appoint Martin as their next manager. The ex-Scotland internationalist - who had a brief spell on loan in Govan - has always been one of chief candidates since Philippe Clement was sacked back in February and with the search nearing its conclusion following last week's takeover and new sporting director Kevin Thelwell taking office on Monday, it appears an appointment is imminent. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Thelwell and new chairman Andrew Cavenagh have been tasked with landing their next boss and Martin, who has been out of the dugout since being sacked by Southampton last December, is understood to have been in competition with former Real Madrid assistant boss Davide Ancelotti for the role. Russell Martin has emerged as the leading candidate for Rangers' managerial vacancy. | Getty Images Should the appointment come to fruition, one of his former teammates in Gunn believes "intellectual" Martin has the tools to succeed at Rangers. The pair played together at Norwich in 2017 and the centre-half's leadership skills stood out for the goalkeeper. 'There were a few other players in that dressing room – Steven Naismith was there as well – and you can tell on the pitch when you're playing with players,' said Gunn. 'They kind of start coaching whilst they're still playing, if you like, sort of organising on the pitch. 'Russell was one of them, but it wasn't just on the pitch, it was off the pitch as well, where he had close relationships with everyone. Even though he wasn't a regular playing in the team, he was always on hand and always upbeat and a good person to go to. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'He helped me massively' 'Obviously, I only worked with him as a player at Norwich but he's a very intellectual guy. I went in there as a young goalkeeper and he helped me massively, even though he wasn't in the team every week and playing regularly. He was the captain of the club and he had good relationships with everyone in the dressing room. 'Obviously, watching what he's done at Southampton, I thought he'd done incredibly well there and probably was unfortunate to lose his job there because it's always difficult for teams coming up from the Championship to even compete with some of the Premier League teams,' said the goalkeeper. 'With the way he wants to play and his philosophy, I really hope whatever he goes on to do in his career is successful. Obviously he had a spell at Rangers, so he kind of knows the club a little bit. I think it would be a really good thing for Rangers. Angus Gunn played briefly with Russell Martin at Norwich City. | Getty Images "As a manager, he showed what he can do, not only with Southampton but with Swansea as well. He took a team that wasn't expected to do much quite far into the Championship as well. I think it will be a positive thing for Rangers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Gunn played against Martin's Southampton team two years ago en route to the Saints' promotion from the Championship and he recalled: "They were a tough team. I think we had a couple of good games against them. One was 4-3, one was 0-0, so quite contrasting. "We've seen the evolution of their team throughout the season. I think when we first played them, they were quite open. Then, when we played them again, they were a little bit pragmatic.
