Tensions have escalated between Dricus Du Plessis’ camp and Khamzat Chimaev in anticipation of their highly awaited UFC 319 main event scheduled for August 16 in Chicago. The upcoming Khamzat Chimaev UFC clash has drawn significant attention following months of back-and-forth challenges and media exchanges.

Chimaev has faced a series of health setbacks recently, prompting him to take strict precautions, including avoiding public outings, to maintain his condition ahead of the fight. Meanwhile, Du Plessis reported that he still needs to shed more weight before making the 185-pound limit for the matchup inside the Octagon.

Du Plessis’ Trainer Critiques Chimaev’s Fighting Style

Morne Visser, the head coach of Dricus Du Plessis, openly criticized Chimaev’s approach to fighting, describing it as limited and predictable despite acknowledging that Chimaev might be Du Plessis’ toughest opponent yet. Visser highlighted what he sees as Chimaev’s overreliance on wrestling, a strategy that he labels “one-dimensional.”

Khamzat doesn’t know what it is when people want to wrestle him, he’s only facing guys who are trying to get away from his wrestling,

Visser said during the UFC 319 countdown show.

He added,

We don’t want to try and get away from his wrestling, we want to f— him up in his game. You can’t think you’re gonna beat my guy, coming with one thing and it’s wrestling. That guy’s one-dimensional.

Visser also dismissed Chimaev’s striking capabilities, stating,

Have you seen his stand up? I wouldn’t even give him a pro license for his s— standup, he doesn’t present any problems for us, we are the problem,

further emphasizing his team’s confidence.

Du Plessis Aims to Outwork Chimaev in Wrestling

Previously, Du Plessis faced criticism when he boldly declared his intent to defeat Israel Adesanya using striking, a tactic typically associated with the former champion. However, Du Plessis effectively executed that strategy to his advantage. Now, ahead of facing Chimaev, who is widely considered an elite wrestler, Du Plessis plans to counter Chimaev’s strength by excelling in wrestling himself.

We’re preparing like we’ve never prepared before. I’m not going in there to fight his fight. I’m going in there to fight my fight. Just like I dealt with Adesanya’s striking and I dealt with Strickland’s boxing, I’m going to deal with Khamzat’s wrestling,

Du Plessis declared, signaling a focused and strategic game plan.

This upcoming UFC 319 event promises a clash of styles and strategies between two highly skilled fighters. The outcome of this bout could significantly impact the middleweight division rankings and set the tone for both fighters’ future careers inside the UFC. Fans and analysts alike are watching closely to see whether Du Plessis can overcome Chimaev’s wrestling dominance with his own mixed approach.