Dec 10, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Dricus Du Plessis (blue gloves) reacts after fighting Darren Till (red gloves) during UFC 282 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

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“See Who Quits” – Dricus Du Plessis Throws Down Major Challenge To Khamzat Chimaev Ahead Of UFC 319

Championship fights often come down to mental warfare just as much as physical preparation. Dricus Du Plessis has proven throughout his UFC career that he thrives on psychological games and pressure situations. The South African middleweight champion made his name by getting under opponents’ skin before dismantling them inside the octagon. His trash talk sessions with Israel Adesanya became legendary, and his ability to ruffle Sean Strickland’s feathers twice showed his mental toughness. Du Plessis knows how to plant seeds of doubt in his opponents’ minds.

With UFC 319 just days away, Du Plessis decided to throw down a direct challenge to Khamzat Chimaev that could define the entire fight. The champion isn’t playing it safe or looking for tactical advantages. Instead, he’s basically daring Chimaev to bring his most aggressive game plan right from the opening bell. This bold strategy reveals everything about Du Plessis’ confidence level and his belief in his own cardio and toughness when the going gets rough.

Dricus Du Plessis’ Challenge To Khamzat Chimaev

Du Plessis made his intentions crystal clear during the UFC 319 media day sessions. He wants Chimaev to come charging at him with everything he’s got from the first second. The champion pointed out that Chimaev didn’t change his approach against Robert Whittaker despite it being a five round fight. This observation tells Du Plessis that his opponent might not be thinking about pacing himself for the full twenty-five minutes of championship action.

The South African fighter has complete confidence in his ability to fight through exhaustion and pain. He’s been to those dark places before and came out victorious on the other side. His wars with Sean Strickland proved that he can maintain his composure and effectiveness even when completely drained. Du Plessis essentially told Chimaev to bring his best shot because he believes he can outlast anyone when the fight turns into a grueling battle of wills.

“He didn’t change his game plan against Robert Whittaker despite it being five rounds. Five rounds is a long time, and I’m not afraid to go to that dark place, you’ve seen that. If we go full speed, I can fight tired all day. II’ve done that many times. So, let’s go for it. Let’s go full speed and see who quits.”

"Let's go full speed and see who quits."

Dricus Du Plessis is ready for a head-on collision with Khamzat Chimaev in the #UFC319 headliner. pic.twitter.com/UH79AyhgOb
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) August 13, 2025

Chimaev has never fought past fifteen minutes in his entire fourteen fight professional career. He’s only reached the third round twice, against Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman. Meanwhile, Du Plessis has gone the full distance multiple times in championship level fights that tested every aspect of his conditioning and mental strength. His challenge to see who breaks first is a calculated psychological weapon designed to pressure Chimaev into fighting the champion’s preferred style of fight.

(Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)

Dricus Du Plessis

Khamzat Chimaev

UFC 319

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!