The UFC middleweight division just got a little more awkward. Fresh off his UFC 312 victory, Dricus du Plessis has been vocal about his next move, calling out Khamzat Chimaev while keeping an eye on Alex Pereira. But before anything could be signed, sealed, or delivered, ‘Borz’ decided to send the champ a message, reminding him that he was the next fighter to get a middleweight title bout.

After all, Dana White confirmed when he said, “Obviously, he’s in line.” So Khamzat Chimaev decided to remind the world about it and, of course, DDP too. “GOOD MORNING @DRICUSDUPLESSIS,” Chimaev posted on X, intending to troll the champion a bit. But here’s where it gets interesting. The Russian, fresh off a sweaty, grueling workout, didn’t exactly clean up before firing off the message with a picture of himself.

The reigning champ’s response? Well, he posted a GIF that stated, “Brother Eww. What’s that? What’s that brother?” It wasn’t just the words, it was the energy. Something about Chimaev’s raw, unfiltered vibe seemed to leave ‘Stillknocks’ less than impressed.

Well, that was unexpected. What exactly did the Russian think was going to happen? That du Plessis would respond with heart emojis and an invitation to brunch? The South African champ had made his path forward clear. During an interview with ‘Full Send MMA’, he doubled down on his disdain. “I’ll see you when I see you,” he said, before landing a brutal jab at Chimaev’s frequent disappearances from competition.

“I hope we can make it International Fight Week, a big one. I think he tweeted something, he actually did tweet it, because when his tweets make sense it’s his agent, and when it’s just random English words, it’s him. He said this fight [is a bullsh*t fight]. Well, try to get to a fight. Couldn’t get the welterweight title, definitely not getting the middleweight title. Talk about a waste of potential.”

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Now, let’s take a step back. Did Chimaev’s tweet really warrant such disgust? Or is du Plessis simply making it clear that no amount of friendly banter will change his intentions?

From Khamzat Chimaev’s greeting to a UFC Showdown?

The South African has already brushed off a fight with the #1 contender, Nassourdine Imavov, who just took out Israel Adesanya because in his words, “Khamzat is next.”

That’s not to say du Plessis is underestimating his options. He is already eyeing light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira as a potential future opponent. “I want to beat that guy. I’ve beaten Adesanya, who’s beaten him. I know I can beat him at 205 (pounds), 100 percent,” he said. But ‘Poatan’ will have to wait. “Khamzat is next.” In a division full of trash-talkers and big personalities, this brewing rivalry could be one of the most explosive matchups the UFC can put together. But for now, ‘Borz’s morning greetings aren’t landing well.

And if the tension between these two wasn’t already evident, du Plessis made sure to drive the point home. He reminded fans that the Russian had once set his sight on the welterweight belt, only to watch it slip away. Now, the undefeated Chechen fighter has turned his attention to the middleweight crown, but du Plessis still remains unimpressed.

Let us not forget that Chimaev, who fought thrice in 2020 and was one of the most active fighters, competed just once in 2023 and 2024, owing to health complications. His career trajectory hasn’t gone the way one would have predicted. So he will have to take advantage of the opportunities that come his way.

But for the South African, this isn’t just about defending his belt, it’s about making a statement. He is staking his claim as the best middleweight in the world. “I want to make sure that this belt, that this middleweight title, that there is no question that I’m the GOAT of the middleweight division.” ‘Stillknocks’ wants to prove that Chimaev’s hype doesn’t translate to championship gold.

What do you think? Does Chimaev deserve the shot, or is du Plessis right to brush him off? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!