“That fight’s done,” declared Dana White, confirming the middleweight title clash between undefeated Khamzat Chimaev and champion Dricus Du Plessis. While the date remains unclear, it’s confirmed they won’t headline International Fight Week. Amid what Ariel Helwani recently dubbed an “MMA recession,” the middleweight division has been on fire, delivering one thriller after another. A war between the South African slugger and the undefeated Wolf could be just the jolt the UFC needs. Adding fuel to the hype, Chimaev’s coach has teased a glimpse into ‘Borz’s intense training camp.

Khamzat Chimaev’s coach, Zelim Khan, took to his Instagram handle to share a video of his star trainee. In the short clip, the Chechen can be seen training in the open air, working on his cardio by hammering tires and doing some weight training. The coach captioned the post with a motivating message for everyone, “It is not necessary to go to a cool hall, it can be organized outdoors, which we did today. Do sports, we need a HEALTHY NATION!

From the looks of the video, it appears that the Emirati is in Russia to train for his battle against Du Plessis—but who really knows? Interestingly, Khamzat Chimaev had a message for Du Plessis: “Let them prep for war. I’m prepping for m——,” Chimaev told Adam Zubayraev. One thing that remains a mystery is when their battle will take place. There were rumors that Du Plessis was seriously injured, which led to the cancellation of their UFC 317 clash. However, the champ later refuted these claims and called out everyone who spread those rumors.

Weeks after the initial hubbub, the South African has finally come forward, uploading clips of his training. In the caption, Du Plessis addressed the rumors about his injuries, hinted that the June fight was never actually offered to him, and even stated that his opponent had already been chosen. He concluded with a bold message: “I am the champion. I decide when I fight. You, as the contender, just show up when we tell you to. Fight announcement coming soon. Stay tuned.” He never named Khamzat Chimaev as his next opponent, but it’s almost certain that the two will cross paths later this year. Why? Because they’ve been trading barbs a little too often lately.

Despite having toned down his aggressiveness following the birth of his son, Chimaev remains a wild fighter—one who truly intends to drag his opponents into deep waters and hurt them. Back in his UFC 308 battle, he nearly dislocated Robert Whittaker’s entire jaw, breaking it with a submission in the very first round.

However, was Du Plessis fazed by the warning? Certainly not! The middleweight champion treated it as a joke in his own fashion, responding to Chimaev’s warning with a jibe: “Wow, that’s the first time I’ve heard that one. Shakespeare in the house,” Du Plessis wrote on Instagram.

Khamzat Chimaev is known for his exceptional ground game, while Dricus Du Plessis’ unorthodox fighting style makes him unpredictable. ‘Borz’ would almost certainly shoot for a takedown in the very first round, trying to take the battle to the ground.

That’s why Du Plessis’ team has been putting in maximum effort to ensure the South African champion develops a solid understanding of the ground game, enabling him to hold his own against Chimaev. However, who has the upper hand in the game? Well, Reinier De Ridder has come forward to answer this question.

Reinier de Ridder gives his two cents on Khamzat Chimaev vs. Dricus Du Plessis

Rising middleweight contender Reinier de Ridder became a fan favourite to fight for the UFC middleweight title when he knocked out undefeated prospect Bo Nickal back at UFC Des Moines. Known for his grappling, de Ridder overpowered Nickal and knocked him out in the second round, thereby establishing himself as the favorite to challenge for the title. When asked about his opinion on Khamzat Chimaev vs. Dricus Du Plessis, the Dutchman believes that it will be a close call fight.

“I’ve had some experience with both of the guys. I’ve trained with both of them. I’d say, especially in a five-round fight, Khamzat is most likely going to come out guns blazing again, shoot right away, but Dricus is not that easy to take down. He moves very well, although it looks a bit funny at times. His footwork is not that bad. He gets out. He circles pretty well. I don’t see Khamzat taking him down right away, and to be honest, I don’t see Khamzat choking him out in the first round,” said Reinier de Ridder.

Chimaev’s game plan has always been to ensure his opponents go down in the early rounds, as his cardio has long been a concern. ‘Borz’ will likely rely on his wrestling to catch Du Plessis off guard, much like he did against Robert Whittaker. However, it’s important to note that Du Plessis is a massive middleweight, and his strength is his path to victory. If the battle goes till the last round, Chimaev might find it immensely difficult to finish the South African.

De Ridder further added, “Every round he doesn’t choke him out is going to get worse for him. Because with that unorthodox style of Dricus and those heavy hands, I think it might be a long night for Khamzat. He keeps going. That’s the crazy thing. He looks dead tired, the technique just goes out the door, but somehow he stays strong, stays very explosive. I’m going with Dricus, but Khamzat would be cool, too, if it gets it. But I think Dricus has a good chance.”

With these assessments, Reinier de Ridder believes that Chimaev’s cardio would drag him down in the battle. Regardless, who do you think would become the winner in their fight? State your opinion in the comments below.