Dricus Du Plessis appeared visibly miserable during the UFC 319 afterparty in Chicago following his five-round defeat to Khamzat Chimaev. Footage from the event shows the South African chugging beer as he tried to cope with the disappointment of coming up short in the main event.
Du Plessis entered UFC 319 as the reigning middleweight champion, having won the belt in January 2024 at UFC 297 against Sean Strickland. He successfully defended it twice before facing Chimaev. Known primarily for his striking, Du Plessis has never been recognized for grappling, making the match-up against Chimaev’s wrestling-heavy style particularly challenging.
The five-round clash saw Chimaev control the fight on the ground for long stretches. Du Plessis admitted in his octagon interview with Joe Rogan:
Chimaev’s wrestling pinned Du Plessis in positions like the crucifix, earning 50-44 scores from all judges. Despite his known durability, Du Plessis couldn’t respond.
“The man has incredible control on top. He’s like a blanket; he always knew what your next move was going to be. At the end, I went for it and could almost taste that victory, but he beat me fair and square. He deserves it and thanks to all the fans, because without you guys, we don’t have a job. Everyone in South Africa, I’m sorry anybody I let down. We’ll show the world that we’ll come back stronger than ever.”
After the loss, Du Plessis’ record stands at 23 wins and 3 losses.
Post-Fight Party Struggles
Following the loss, Du Plessis attended a planned post-fight party. Instagram stories from O’Doherty showed him in a beer-chugging race, but his mood drew attention.
Dricus du Plessis enjoying life despite the loss last night 🍻
🎥 @JacksonODoherty #UFC319 pic.twitter.com/0gacTofXYN
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 17, 2025
X users commented, with @Mobb_Tv_ saying, “He looks miserable tbh.”
@NewsSportGlobe noted, “That’s coping, not enjoying.”
Another said: “Dude looks like he is trying to get over an ex-girlfriend.”
Others remarked, “He still looks depressed,” and “This looks absolutely miserable,” while one added, “Doesn’t look like he wants to be there and those leeches around him couldn’t care less,”
The defeat ended Du Plessis’ 11-fight win streak. A rematch with Chimaev is unlikely due to the one-sided result. Beating a top-five middleweight, like Anthony Hernandez or Nassourdine Imavov, could position him for another title shot. Hernandez, who impressed Du Plessis with a submission over Roman Dolidze, was at UFC 319.
