Dricus du Plessis claims Khamzat Chimaev fight agreed upon for ‘two dates’

Dricus du Plessis is eager to get back into the cage and his opponent will be Khamzat Chimaev.

The reigning UFC middleweight champion told The Sias du Plessis Show that he and Chimaev have verbally agreed to fight, with two possible dates in mind. According to du Plessis, their matchup will take place no later than September.

“So we have a date,” du Plessis said. “But we have potential of two dates. I already agreed to both. A lot of people are saying, ‘Is it this year?’ Yes, 100 percent. It’s not far away. It’s not that far away. The announcement will be made soon. Me and the UFC, we’ve known. All these rumors that came out with injuries, I don’t know where it came from, it was ridiculous. I was like, OK, and I just left it for like a week and then I was like, ‘OK, everybody had their fun, now you’re all going to look stupid.’ We’ve already agreed on a date. That’s been a while ago.

“So I’m just waiting for the contract, but that’s the fight that’s happening. It’s going to be happening in the next couple of months, maximum four months. It’s going to happen one of these days. Nothing is signed, but I’ve already agreed to any date. Any date that they gave me, I said, ‘Cool. Ready. Let’s do it.’”

Du Plessis recently shot down rumors that he would miss the rest of 2025 with an injury, dismissing it as social media scuttlebutt. He is coming off of a unanimous decision win over rival Sean Strickland this past February at UFC 312, which marked du Plessis’ second consecutive successful title defense. His UFC record improved to 9-0.

Should Chimaev be announced as his challenger soon, du Plessis looks forward to defusing his dangerous wrestling, just as he has the elite skills of his previous opponents.

“His wrestling is world class,” du Plessis said. “It’s phenomenal. But so is Israel Adesanya’s striking, right? So is Sean Strickland’s boxing. World class. Adesanya’s striking, world class, his kickboxing record speaks for itself. This is not striking, this is not wrestling, this is not grappling, this is MMA. And yes, I do think his wrestling is phenomenal, but when the night comes, it’s not about teaching him a lesson, it’s about proving once again that I will be the greatest of all-time and doing whatever I have to to prove that.

“Because yes, I know his wrestling is great, it is, 100 percent. He’s proven it. I mean, look at his performances, but you’re only as good as your opponent lets you and I won’t let you look good. I can let you look good, but I can’t let you win, unfortunately.”

Du Plessis has frequently been criticized for his unorthodox style, but the results have been undeniable. Not only is he undefeated inside the octagon, he has scored finishes in six of his nine wins including a submission of Israel Adesanya and a knockout of Robert Whittaker.

Unraveling Chimaev’s mystique is the next big test for du Plessis—assuming Chimaev makes it to the cage. Chimaev has struggled with inactivity, with just four fights in the past three years.

Fortunately for du Plessis, it doesn’t matter to him whether it’s Khamzat or someone else: He’s just ready to defend his belt again.

“Those are the kinds of forces that don’t bother me because I try not to be concerned about things that I have no control over,” du Plessis said of the possibility of a Chimaev withdrawal. “The UFC always finds a plan. Like I said, I don’t prepare for Khamzat. I prepare to be the best Dricus. So after that, if he pulls out fight week, UFC will get somebody else. There’s a lot of contenders right now, and whoever they put in there, I’ll be ready for it.”