The name on everyone’s lips? Khamzat Chimaev. The undefeated powerhouse has long been calling for a title shot, and after Du Plessis’ latest win, many believe the time has come. However, not everyone is convinced that Chimaev can handle the challenge.
During his time in the promotion, DDP has proven to be an anomaly in the sport. Every time he fights, it looks like he’s throwing haymakers for the entire duration of the fight but for some reason always manages to outlast his more calculated opponents. Chaimev, meanwhile, depends entirely on putting the pace early on and securing finishes.
And it is for this very reason, that UFC veteran, Din Thomas doesn’t believe the Chechen challenger would leave a mark on the champ’s face. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Thomas voiced his doubts about Chimaev’s ability to go five hard rounds against Du Plessis.
Comparing Chimaev to a sprinter, he said , “Khamzat is a sprinter… You can’t fight championship-level fights for five rounds at the pace where he’s at his best. I think Dricus is so durable and he’s so smart that he’ll be able to withstand that. Now they’re swimming in deep water, and Khamzat can’t swim that deep.”
Questions have been raised about Chimaev’s gas tank, especially after his grueling decision win against Kamaru Usman at UFC 294. In that bout, Chimaev started strong but noticeably slowed down as the fight progressed, leading some to believe that a well-conditioned fighter like Du Plessis could exploit that weakness.
Du Plessis, on the other hand, has built a reputation for his endurance and durability, thanks to his long battles with Strickland and Israel Adesanya. He has also grown leaps and bounds since capturing the middleweight title at UFC 297. His cardio has gotten significantly better, as his team’s plan for every fight.
DDP kept throwing punches against Sean Strickland and showed good defensive skills. In a five round fight DDP showed his cardio and conditioning which helped him to retain his title at UFC 302.