Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev recently came face to face for the first time.
Du Plessis will put his middleweight crown on the line against Chimaev in the UFC 319 main event this Saturday, August 16, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
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The build-up to this highly anticipated clash has been charged with tension, fueled by frequent back-and-forth exchanges between the fighters on social media. Many expected sparks to fly when they finally came together in person, but the encounter turned out to be quite the opposite.
On Tuesday, Khamzat Chimaev’s jiu-jitsu coach, Alan Do Nascimento, posted an Instagram video capturing the moment "Borz" crossed paths with reigning UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis ahead of their clash this weekend.
To the surprise of many, the two rivals greeted each other with respect, shared a light moment of camaraderie, and chatted briefly in a friendly manner.
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"Stillknocks" enters UFC 319 riding the momentum of a dominant unanimous decision victory in his second title defense, a rematch against Sean Strickland at UFC 312 this past February.
He first captured the 185-pound crown via split decision over Strickland at UFC 297, then successfully defended it with a submission win against former champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 305. Du Plessis remains unbeaten in the UFC, boasting a perfect 9-0 record.
Meanwhile, Chimaev is fresh off a first-round submission victory over Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October 2024. “Borz” has seen limited action in recent years, competing just four times since 2022. Still, he maintains an undefeated 9-0 record in the UFC, with notable finishes over opponents such as Kevin Holland and Li Jingliang.
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