Latest news with #DricusDuPlessis
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Khamzat In Danger Of UFC 319 ‘Fraud Check'
Khamzat Chimaev is currently ranked No. 3 at 185 pounds and widely-expected to earn the next crack at defending middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, assuming 'Borz' can make it to fight night without another mysterious medical malady. Don't worry, matchmakers have a backup plan. Advertisement Chimaev's 'special' rise to the top, which included a pit stop at 170 pounds, came with a considerable amount of hype, to the point where fight fans were calling for a potential title shot after just two fights under the UFC banner. Former UFC lightweight, Josh Thomson, wants to pump the brakes. 'How bad is he ... or is he good? We're gonna find out when he fights DDP,' Thomson said on We Want Picks. 'I've said this for the longest time, the sample size is not big enough for me with Chimaev. It's just not big enough. Are we giving him too much credit? Everyone's like, 'Oh, he's muslim, he's got the beard, he can wrestle.' Are we giving him the Khabib credit? No one is like Khabib [Nurmagomedov], nobody is like Islam [Makhachev]. We associate the two things, they are not the same. Khabib didn't get tired. Is [Chimaev] as good as we think? Or we getting a fraud check here with DDP?' Thomson argues the 31 year-old Chimaev (14-0) has been able to capitalize on favorable circumstances, like a washed-up Gilbert Burns, hot-and-cold Kevin Holland, short-notice Kamaru Usman, and even the grill-challenged Robert Whittaker, who already had existing teeth issues. Advertisement 'He's fantastic when he's fresh, but we've seen him wilt in rounds two and rounds three,' Thomson continued. 'He got dropped by Gilbert Burns [at UFC 273] and look at Gilbert since they fought, he can't seem to buy a win right now. So is he as bad or is he as good as people wanna make him? I don't think he's as good as people want him to be. He's fantastic when he's the hammer, I'm not denying that, but what is he like when 'boom' all of the sudden he gets cracked? Is Chimaev that guy, does he fold? Does he break? I'm leaning more towards he does.' We'll find out at UFC 319 this summer in Chicago. More from
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dricus Du Plessis Sends Explicit Response to Contender Ahead of UFC 319
There's never a dull moment in the UFC, and the lead-up to UFC 319 proves it once again. Set for August 16 at the United Center in Chicago, the event will see middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis defend his title in a highly anticipated bout. A recent tweet exchange may have just fanned the flames for what could become one of the most heated title fights in recent memory. It started with some emojis—yes, emojis—and ended with a clapback sharp enough to slice through the internet. A simple post was all it took to set the champion off—and fans are here for it. The war of words between Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev has been simmering for months, but things hit a boiling point on social media. The entire exchange was captured in a thread by ACD MMA, quickly gaining traction across the fight community. Khamzat tweeted a photo of Du Plessis and his team alongside five donut emojis and a laughing face, a move interpreted by many as calling the champ and his crew overweight or soft. But Du Plessis didn't let it slide. He fired back with: 'O sh*t would get you but there's no inbred emoji…' Advertisement When a fan chimed in with: 'At least he knows who his father is,' Du Plessis delivered the final blow: 'Yes his older brother probably.' Fan reaction heavily favored the South African champion. Many fans joked that Du Plessis 'woke up and chose violence,' while replies like 'No mercy I love it' and 'Lowkey DDP becoming the goat of trolling…' flooded the thread. Dricus Du PlessisGetty Images One thing's for sure: this back-and-forth is only adding fuel to the fire ahead of UFC 319—and fans wouldn't have it any other way. Khamzat probably didn't expect Du Plessis to respond with that level of savagery, but here we are. If anything, this feels less like the end of a beef and more like the opening bell—because it's only getting started. Advertisement Related: Former UFC Champion 'Pissed' After Being Passed Over for Ilia Topuria Fight Related: Jake Paul Responds to Logan's MMA Challenge in Latest Twist to Sibling Rivalry
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 319 headliner
Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis will look to extend his title reign when he takes on undefeated Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev preview Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) seeks to defend his middleweight title for the third time. The South African became champion in a split decision over Sean Strickland at UFC 297. He successfully defended against former champ Israel Adesanya, winning by submission in the fourth round at UFC 305. In his most recent outing, Du Plessis won a unanimous decision against Strickland in a title rematch at UFC 312. Advertisement Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) is coming off arguably his most impressive outing to date, a first-round submission finish of former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 308. The Chechnya-born middleweight has been labeled a future champion since stepping onto the UFC scene, a forecast he supported by finishing his first four opponents and earning bonuses in his first five appearances. Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev odds According to DraftKings, Du Plessis is a +164 underdog to retain his title against unbeaten challenger Chimaev, who's a -198 favorite. How to watch Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 Where: United Center, Chicago Broadcast/streaming: ESPN+ pay-per-view When: Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025 This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev UFC 319 odds
The South African
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Dricus Du Plessis salary QUADRUPLED - Staggering figures REVEALED!
UFC and MMA SA-born superstar, Dricus Du Plessis has tripled his earnings in a few huge fights. Dricus Du Plessis earnings have skyrocketed since he first triumphantly made history to claim the UFC Middleweight Championship against Sean Strickland. Thereafter, his salary has skyrocketed with the SA-born superstars earnings quadrupling between then and his most recent bout against American, Sean Strickland – in their re-match. BIG-READ: DRICUS DU PLESSIS STAGGERING SALARY REVEALED! Du Plessis earnings have multiplied by four since his he claimed the UFC middleweight championship against Strickland. Thereafter, he submitted the imposing, agile and dangerous Israel Adesanya in a his first title defence – a statement of note by the South African. When he first took on Strickland, as the challenger, he took home a reported $300 000 base salary for the fight (excluding add-ons). Now, the South African UFC middleweight champion salary has drastically increased with Du Plessis earning a reported $1.2 million (base salary) for his re-match against Sean Strickland. This is a staggering 300% increase between three fights. As mentioned, these fixtures exclude all additional earnings such as pay per view payouts and sponsorship deals which continue to grow exponentially as he continues to win. Thus, growing his brand as an individual and his value to other companies seeking sponsorship. Dricus will defend his title against Khamzat Chimaev on August 16 in Chicago, USA. 'UFC owner Dana White announced that Dricus du Plessis will defend his belt against Khamzat Chimaev,' White told the media. 'After much speculation, the fight is happening and is scheduled for August 16 in Chicago, USA,' White added during the press conference. Furthermore, he is expected to earn a similiar base fee or even more for his brutal blockbuster showdown against Khamzat. With sponsorship deals, pay per view payout and his base salary likely to increase. Stay tuned to The South African as we unveil his earnings and pay out and everything you need to know about Dricus ' Stillknocks ' Du Plessis up-and-coming title defense. DO YOU THINK DRICUS DU PLESSIS SHOULD EARN MORE OR LESS AS A BASE SALARY PER FIGHT? WHAT ARE YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR HIS TITANTIC TITLE DEFENCE AGAINST KHAMZAT IN AUGUST? Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@ or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. You can also follow @ TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.
USA Today
19-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Michael Bisping: Dricus Du Plessis being an underdog vs. Khamzat Chimaev is 'insane'
Michael Bisping is baffled by the odds for the middleweight title fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. Dricus Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) defends his belt against Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) in the Aug. 16 main event at United Center in Chicago (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+). Du Plessis has opened up as an underdog against unbeaten Chimaev, which Bisping thinks makes no sense based on both fighters' resumes. "The fact that they've got Dricus Du Plessis as the underdog is insane," Bisping said on his YouTube channel. "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." Despite the adversity that Chimaev faced in his wins against Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman, he's yet to taste defeat. Bisping thinks that may end up proving detrimental to Chimaev as he heads into his first title fight. "When you lose fights, you say, 'Well, I never really lost, it was a chance to learn,' and that is true," Bisping said. "When you do lose, you address some things. You address your preparation, you address your weight cut, you address your diet. You address all kinds of sh*t that you might have been doing wrong, and one of those things might be that I address the fact that I don't pace myself. As I said, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. He's going to go full steam ahead. Khamzat Chimaev is going to go right at him. He ain't going to f*ck about. "He's going to swing for the fences, he's going to pick him up, he's going to try and slam him down, he's going to go berserk, he's going to go mental, and that's what we love about him. That's why we can't wait to see this fight. But if he doesn't get him out of there in the first round or the second round, and he's starting to gas come Round 3 and Round 4 and Round 5, he is looking to be anywhere else but in the middle of the octagon in the United Center. Dricus Du Plessis is going to take over. And that man is a big, powerful son of a b*tch, and he is a finisher as well."
