Dricus du Plessis Thinks Khamzat Chimaev Should NOT Get an Immediate Rematch

What’s Going On in the UFC Middleweight Division?

Imagine the UFC middleweight division (fighters who weigh about 185 pounds) like a messy puzzle. Here’s what happened recently:

• Sean Strickland won the championship for the second time by beating Khamzat Chimaev in a close fight at UFC 328.
• Right after losing, Chimaev asked for a “rematch” (a do-over fight) against Strickland.
• But Dricus du Plessis has beaten Strickland two times before, so he feels he should have a say in who fights for the belt.
• However, Chimaev beat du Plessis less than a year ago to win the title, so it’s complicated.
• Also, Nassourdine Imavov is the No. 1 contender (the next in line) and has been waiting quietly since September.

Important Point: The middleweight title picture is confusing because many fighters have beaten each other, and everyone wants a turn!

Du Plessis Has His Own Fight First

Before worrying about Chimaev or Strickland, du Plessis has a big fight this Saturday at UFC Oklahoma City.

• He will face Kamaru Usman, a former champion from a lighter weight class (welterweight).
• This is du Plessis’ first fight since he lost his title to Chimaev.
• Before that loss, he was 9–0 in the UFC with wins over Strickland, Israel Adesanya, and Robert Whittaker.

He shared his thoughts with Submission Radio while getting ready for Usman.

Why Du Plessis Says a Chimaev Rematch Is “Ridiculous”

Du Plessis explained simply:

• Between Strickland and Chimaev, neither has defended the title (meaning they haven’t fought other challengers to prove they’re still champ).
• Du Plessis defended his own title two times: once against Strickland and once against Adesanya.
• So he says: “The Khamzat rematch is ridiculous, it doesn’t make any sense.”

He also said because he lost his last fight, he can’t complain too much right now. He’ll let his fighting do the talking.

Important Point: Du Plessis believes Chimaev does NOT deserve another title shot just because he lost—he thinks it would be crazy to give him one immediately.

What Does Du Plessis Want Most?

We asked: Does he want to beat Strickland for the belt, or get revenge on Chimaev?

His answer:

1. He would prefer to fight Chimaev to get his win back.
2. But his real goal is to be champion again—not to chase specific people.
3. He says if Chimaev moves up a weight class, he’ll follow and fight him there.
4. Even so, he repeats: Chimaev “doesn’t deserve another title shot.”

What’s Next for Du Plessis After Usman?

• He plans to move up to light heavyweight (a heavier class) later, like friends Whittaker and Paulo Costa did.
• For now, he is 100% focused on beating Usman.
• He was supposed to return in April 2026 but got injured. The injury was worse than thought, so he’s just happy to fight now.

Du Plessis says:

• Injuries are part of the sport.
• He doesn’t believe in “ring rust” (feeling out of shape from time off).
• He has trained the whole time and loves the spotlight.

Summary

Dricus du Plessis thinks Khamzat Chimaev should not get an immediate rematch with Sean Strickland because neither has defended the title like he did. Du Plessis is focused on beating Kamaru Usman this Saturday, wants to eventually reclaim the belt (preferably from Chimaev), and plans to move to light heavyweight later. He’s happy to be back after injury and trusts his training.

FAQ

Q1: What does “immediate rematch” mean?
A: It means two fighters fight each other again right after their first fight, without the loser fighting anyone else first.

Q2: Why is Imavov waiting for a title shot?
A: He is the No. 1 contender and has been next in line since September, but the champs have been fighting each other instead.

Q3: What is “ring rust”?
A: It’s a made-up worry that a fighter will be bad after not fighting for a while. Du Plessis says he doesn’t believe in it.

Q4: Will du Plessis fight at a heavier weight soon?
A: Not right now—he fights Usman at middleweight first, but later he wants to move to light heavyweight.