Sep 10, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Khamzat Chimaev (red gloves) fights Kevin Holland (blue gloves) during UFC 279 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

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Khamzat Chimaev Sends A Message To Dricus Du Plessis; Gets A Fitting Response

Khamzat Chimaev fires a bold message to Dricus Du Plessis, sparking an humurous exchange

Sep 10, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Khamzat Chimaev (red gloves) fights Kevin Holland (blue gloves) during UFC 279 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Khamzat Chimaev, the undefeated Chechen warrior has been quite active on social media. And lately, he decided to poke the bear – or in this case, the reigning middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis.

The undefeated UFC fighter, probably fresh of his morning workout posted of picture of himself on X. In the pic, he has a shaved head and is sweaty. Chimaev captined the picture as:

“Good Morning @dricusduplessis“

Good morning @dricusduplessis pic.twitter.com/hBplc543Ps
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) February 17, 2025

The timing is particularly interesting, considering Du Plessis just defended his UFC gold by defeating Sean Strickland at UFC 312. He has now joined the ranks of middleweight legends like Anderson Silva and Israel Adesanya.

Also Read: “Never Met A Worthy Opponent” – Merab Dvalishvili Takes A Jab At Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Legacy

The Champion’s Response

Du Plessis’s response to Chimaev’s sweaty morning greeting was short and sweet. He did not resort to any personal attacks or wild claims. Known for his quick wit and composed personality, he posted a GIF of the famous meme.

“Brother, Eww.”

pic.twitter.com/ctC6PmiDIc
— Dricus Du Plessis (@dricusduplessis) February 17, 2025

This interaction between the fighters gets even hotter when fans consider the division’s landscape. Du Plessis has made it clear he wants Khamzat Chimaev next, even bypassing the current #1 contender Nassourdine Imavov, who recently knocked out Israel Adesanya.

What’s Next For Both Fighters?

The potential matchup between Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus Du Plessis carries extra weight given both fighters’ backgrounds. Du Plessis represents South Africa’s growing MMA presence, while Chimaev carries the torch for the Chechen fighting legacy. Both these fighters are undefeated in the UFC. Both have wild, unorthodox styles and work on constant pressure.

Chimaev has a major advantage in the grappling exchanges. He recently took down and finished (broke his jaw) Robert Whittaker, who is known for his takedown defense in the first round. But based on his previous fights, the cardio seems to be his greatest weakness.

In an era of DUCKING champions:
Jones 🦆 Aspinall
Pereira 🦆 Ankalaev
Merab 🦆 Umar

We have Dricus Du Plessis, who seemingly ONLY goes for the hardest fights: Whittaker, Strickland, Izzy AND NOW Khamzat.

The people’s champ | @dricusduplessis 👑🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/8shwxAqCvz
— Kenny Okoye🇳🇬 (@TruthfulUfcFan) October 30, 2024

Dricus Du Plessis on the other hand has cardio for days. His grappling may not be on the level of the Chechen born fighter. However, his unorthodox style and fearless attitude make him probably the toughest opponent Chimaev will face till date.

Looking forward, this social media exchange might just be the spark that ignites one of 2025’s biggest fights. Du Plessis wants to prove he is no temporary champion. He wants to cement his name in the middleweight greats with a win over the Boogeyman of the division. And Khamzat Chimaev needs to show he is so more than just hype and missed weight cuts.

(Image Credit: Joe Camporeale – Imagn Images)

Dricus Du Plessis

Khamzat Chimaev

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!