UFC: Du Plessis wants to fight Chimaev next instead of Strickland

Dricus du Plessis wants Khamzat Chimaev to be his next fight, with the UFC middleweight champion revealing on Wednesday that he is eager to hand the Russian his first professional defeat.

No.1 contender Sean Strickland was originally intended to be the South African’s next opponent, but Chimaev has now rocketed up the rankings to No.3 and is the more alluring prospect from the champ’s perspective.

“As a fan of the sport and as the middleweight champion of the world, that’s a fight that gets me more excited, taking somebody’s 0,” du Plessis said.

“Getting that Khamzat fight, that gets me excited.

“I’ve beaten Strickland before, and I know I’ll beat him again.”

Those comments come after Chimaev scored his eighth consecutive victory at the top level, submitting Robert Whittaker with a face crank in the first round at UFC 308 on Saturday night.

“I think the whole world wants to see it,” du Plessis said of a potential fight against Chimaev.

“We always knew between Rob and Khamzat if there was going to be something exceptional that happens, there might be a change in the title fight.

“The fans ultimately pay to watch the fights, so the fight the world thinks is the best next fight, that’s what I want.

“So, I think the Khamzat fight is 100% what I want.

“The UFC is going to do what they’re going to do, but from a fan perspective and from a fighter’s perspective, I think Khamzat should get the next shot.”

When asked after UFC 308 about who would get a shot at the middleweight title next, UFC CEO Dana White was non-committal, having previously said Strickland would get the fight.

While UFC betting sites are yet to frame markets for du Plessis’ next fight, former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman believes Chimaev has a good chance of beating the incumbent.

“Khamzat is hell in that first round,” Usman said on Wednesday.

“Will Khamzat take him down? Yes. Could he keep him down? Yes, maybe the whole first round. But can he finish him? I don’t know.”

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