Former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis is blaming Khamzat Chimaev for what he calls a “terrible fight” when they met at UFC 319 in August 2025. Du Plessis (record not provided) lost the title to Chimaev (record not provided) by unanimous decision. Now, he's calling for a rematch.
Du Plessis is targeting a return to the Octagon at UFC 327 in Miami on April 11, 2026. Speaking with Fight Forecast, Du Plessis stated he would “love to be on that April card.” He added that there is “no opponent yet, there’s no contract yet.” Chimaev has also been considering a move to light heavyweight.
Du Plessis Aims to Counter Chimaev's Wrestling
Du Plessis anticipates Chimaev will rely on his wrestling in a potential rematch. He plans to counter it to force his own fighting style. In an interview with Fight Forecast, Du Plessis explained why he felt the fight with Chimaev was terrible and what he needs to do to win in a rematch:
“It’s always great if you have a guy that comes and fights because it’s my style and it’s what I love to do entertain, to hear the crowd go crazy. But he knows that and that’s why he went for that style. Once again, I understand that it wasn’t the best fight to watch. In fact, it was a terrible fight to watch, but he did what he had to do to win that title and good for him. My responsibility is to stop him from doing that and that’s what I will do.”
Du Plessis aims to regain the title before the end of 2026.