UFC star Israel Adesanya has offered his prediction for the highly anticipated middleweight title fight between Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev, set to take place tomorrow night in Chicago. This event, UFC 319, will see du Plessis defend his championship against Chimaev in what many expect to be a thrilling matchup.
Both fighters bring contrasting styles to the octagon, making the outcome difficult to predict. Chimaev’s success is likely dependent on securing takedowns early in the fight, while du Plessis aims to extend the contest into later rounds, a strategic area where Chimaev is less tested.
Analyzing Fight Strategies and Potential Outcomes
Adesanya recently detailed two possible scenarios for the fight during a video on his YouTube channel. He emphasized that Chimaev could either overwhelm du Plessis quickly with aggressive grappling or struggle as the fight progresses into deeper rounds. Du Plessis, in contrast, might endure early pressure and capitalize on higher stamina to finish the bout later.
This analysis highlights the importance of endurance and pacing, with Chimaev expected to push hard from the outset, while du Plessis looks to maintain resilience and tactical patience.
Adesanya Backs Du Plessis for a Late-Round Victory
Israel Adesanya expressed confidence in du Plessis, stating:
“I’ve looked at this fight two ways: Khamzat comes out, just grabs a hold of DDP, and just drags him into deep water in the first or second, and finishes him,”
Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. He added,
“Or DDP matches his crazy, matches Khamzat’s crazy with his own type of crazy and his willingness to not quit, and then drags Khamzat into deep waters of the third, fourth, or fifth round and gets him out of there. That’s how I see this fight going.”
Adesanya went on to elaborate the fight dynamics:
“Khamzat showed his hand. He’s going to go after him from the get-go,”
he said, continuing,
“But DDP, I think, can weather the storm and probably finish Khamzat later on. Because Khamzat, if it gets to Rounds 3, 4, 5, it’s going to be a problem. It probably won’t get to Round 5. I say Round 3 or 4, DDP. But if Khamzat is going to win, it’s going to be in the first round. It’s going to be impressive, it’s going to be spectacular, it’s going to be violent. I’m going to go with DDP.”
He also touched on the broader significance of the fight:
“It’s good if he’s champion, (but) the UFC probably wants Khamzat to be champion because he is a guy that brings a lot of eyes, says it and gets it done type sh*t. But I like having DDP as champion because I still think it’s inspiring to a lot of Africans – especially South Africans, as well, like me, Kamaru, and Francis did for the continent as the three kings. He can do that solely as the African champ in the UFC. So yeah, I think he’ll get it done. He’s just stubborn. I’m going to go Dricus by late TKO.”
Implications for the UFC Middleweight Division
Adesanya’s prediction adds an intriguing perspective to the UFC 319 main event, underscoring both fighters’ strengths and the potential for an intense showdown. If du Plessis succeeds in defending his title by a late TKO, it could solidify his reign as a formidable champion, particularly resonating with African fans inspired by previous champions like Kamaru Usman and Francis Ngannou.
On the other hand, should Chimaev secure an early stoppage, it could mark a significant rise in his career, fulfilling UFC’s interest in new crowd-pulling champions. For fans and analysts alike, this fight will be a critical measure of endurance, skill, and strategy.