Dricus Du Plessis has expressed to his fans his desire to fight Khamzat Chimaev next, rather than rematching the man from whom he won the title. The middleweight champion is set to compete against the contentious top contender Sean Strickland at UFC 312 in February, just over a year after claiming the belt in Toronto. However, after Chimaev’s decisive victory over Robert Whittaker at UFC 308, there were calls for him to bypass the line and take on Du Plessis instead.
While Strickland is seen as a more popular and reliable choice compared to Chimaev—who has a history of fight pullouts and weight issues—many believe that Chimaev represents a greater challenge, providing a more difficult examination of the champion’s abilities.
After the announcement of his upcoming fight, Du Plessis unusually remained quiet for a time before taking to social media. He clarified that Khamzat Chimaev was indeed his preferred next opponent, although he acknowledged that Sean Strickland had been the fan-favorite choice right up until just before UFC 308.
“Just for clarification I preferred the Khamzat fight,” Du Plessis stated on social media. “But the rematch is a fight most wanted before Khamzat vs Whittaker. I’m not unhappy with the UFC’s decision; like I said I’ll fight the man fans think is the next best guy. He was promised the fight, so Strickland it is.”
When a fan remarked that “literally nobody thought Strickland was the next best guy,” Du Plessis agreed, replying, “I have to agree with you on that one.” He also took the opportunity to throw a jab at Chimaev’s ongoing health issues, which have led to his consideration of retirement. When another fan proclaimed that Chimaev would “destroy you all,” Du Plessis quipped back, “He can’t even beat his own immune system.”
After the announcement of his title shot, Sean Strickland directed his frustration not at Du Plessis, but rather at Khamzat Chimaev. He shared a brief post regarding the fight news before launching into a profane tirade on social media aimed at the Swede.
In a post on X, Strickland slammed his rival, stating, “I love how cshot [a derogatory nickname for Chimaev] will try to talk s** to me. Bro, you’re not a man, character level fing dog s… Stay in your lane, Swedish man.” He further responded to a fan who shared a photo of their training session, commenting, “Bro literally is scum. ‘I took a hard picture because I’m a small man and have to act tough’… Bro isn’t even a fing man at this point.”
Strickland continued his rant by claiming that Chimaev trains too aggressively with lesser-known fighters who possess limited skills. He told a fan, “He goes too hard on ‘low-level guys’. He’s f***ing rag dolling a 3-1 guy lol.”
