At UFC 319, Dricus du Plessis lost the middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev in a dominant performance by Chimaev. The fight took place recently, with Chimaev showcasing superior wrestling skills that left du Plessis struggling to compete. Joe Rogan, a commentator during the event, pointed out the significant skill gap between the two fighters, specifically noting Chimaev’s grappling dominance.
The main event of UFC 319 featured Khamzat Chimaev, also known as “Borz,” controlling du Plessis over all five rounds. Chimaev maintained an impressive control time of 21 minutes and 40 seconds, which is the second longest in UFC history. Rogan remarked during the live broadcast that du Plessis faces a very difficult journey to match Chimaev’s level in grappling and overall control.
“For Dricus [du Plessis] to come back from that and bridge the gap between him and Khamzat [Chimaev], that is a tall task. That kind of grappling dominance was not just a level, it was multiple levels. And it just didn’t seem like he had any answer for that. I don’t know who he brought in to train with him, but clearly, he didn’t bring in anybody that had that kind of skill.” —Joe Rogan, UFC Commentator
Dricus du Plessis’ Coach Opposes Immediate Rematch with Chimaev
Following the first UFC loss of Dricus du Plessis, his coach Morne Visser spoke to Submission Radio about the possibility of an immediate rematch against Khamzat Chimaev. Visser dismissed the idea, stressing that du Plessis and his team need time to address the gap in wrestling skills before considering a second fight against Chimaev.
Visser emphasized the importance of preparation and improvement in wrestling, which he identified as the key factor in their defeat:
“I’ve been asked, ‘Do you want to do him a rematch?’ I said, ‘Absolutely not.’ Obviously, we’d like to fight him very soon again, but there is no way I’ll take the rematch with us being a little bit behind in our Russian style of wrestling. That is what it is, nothing else. He just knows how to control you on the floor.” —Morne Visser, Dricus du Plessis’ Coach
He went on to state a clear plan to address these shortcomings:
“We’ve got to fix our sh*t asap, and I know what to do. I know exactly what to do and where to do it. It’s a big change, we’re going to have to do a big move to fix things.” —Morne Visser, Dricus du Plessis’ Coach
Implications for Dricus du Plessis and Future Prospects
Dricus du Plessis faces a tough road as he looks to close the large gap exposed by Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. The significant wrestling and grappling dominance shown by Chimaev illustrates the level du Plessis must reach to reclaim the middleweight crown. With his coach openly rejecting an immediate rematch, the focus will be on substantial improvements in du Plessis’ wrestling skills and overall strategy.
The outcome of UFC 319 highlights not only Chimaev’s current dominance but also serves as a pivotal moment for du Plessis and his team to rethink their approach. The next steps involve intense training adjustments and possibly changing training partners to overcome the deficits pointed out by Rogan and Visser.