- Dricus du Plessis is certain he would like to fight Khamzat Chimaev next
- “Stillknocks” and Alex Pereira already agreed to fight at 205
Dricus du Plessis would like to ensure that he is the best middleweight in the world by beating Khamzat Chimaev before moving up to 205 to take on Alex Pereira.
Khamzat now, Alex later
Speaking to the media following his successful title defense against Sean Strickland at UFC 312, “Stillknocks” answered one of the biggest questions in his career: who is next for him?
According to DDP, “Borz” will be his next opponent regardless of the buzz surrounding Pereira. For Du Plessis, it is important that he proved to everybody that he left the middleweight division as the greatest to ever do it at 185 before he moves on and beat “Poatan” to solidify his legacy as the best in the sport.
“Khamzat is first. I said, ‘[Pereira] Please beat Ankalaev.’ No hate against Ankalaev, I just want to beat Alex Pereira. It’s nothing personal. It was just that Pereira is such a legend in this sport to me already so it would be amazing to beat him for my legacy,” the champ explained.
“I want to be the greatest to ever do this but Khamzat is next, I want to make sure that this belt, the middleweight title, that there is no question that I am the GOAT of the middleweight division… So. I’m not rushing that my next fight will be Alex Pereira. No, no. no. I want Khamzat next,” he pointed out.
Dricus Du Plessis says Khamzat Chimaev is the only option after #UFC312.
“I want to make sure there’s no question I’m the GOAT of the middleweight division.”
🎥 @UFC pic.twitter.com/xNyPmBhNQd
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 9, 2025
DDP and Pereira verbally agreed to fight backstage
Du Plessis also detailed how his encounter with Pereira went down backstage following his win over Strickland. DDP called the Brazilian out inside the Octagon and was quite shocked that Pereira didn’t fully understand what he was saying.
Though Pereira previously said he would return to 185 to beat Du Plessis, the pair verbally agreed to do it at 205.
Alex Pereira says he confronted Dricus du Plessis backstage and called him out to a fight at lightheavyweight
Alex: “Let’s make it happen at 205.”
Dricus: “Deal.” 👀👀
(via. @full_send_mma) #UFC312 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/7z1gW0867Z
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 9, 2025
“He came up and said ‘did you challenge me?’” Du Plessis revealed. “I was like ‘I did the whole movie scene and everything’ and then he’s like ‘did you challenge me?’ That’s kind of anti-climactic but sure, yes. I said ‘Yeah, I did challenge you.’”
“I do have the world of respect for Alex Pereira,” he clarified. “I think he’s the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, I have the most respect for him and what he’s done in a short period of time in the UFC. To come from another sport and what he’s done there is incredible. But I want to share the octagon with that man and I’ve beaten Adesanya who has beaten him, I know I can beat him and at 205, 100 per cent.”
Dricus du Plessis says he’s down to fight Alex Pereira, but wants to fight Khamzat Chimaev first 👀 #UFC312pic.twitter.com/bPANZ4rlmF
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 9, 2025
With Du Plessis’ plans already laid out publicly, the only thing fans are waiting for at this point is an official date and location. As it stands, “Stillknocks” has now defended his middleweight title twice in a row.
