This marks Du Plessis’ second title defence of the year and is widely considered the most significant fight of his career. Earlier this year, he successfully defended his title against Sean Strickland, but Chimaev presents a formidable challenge.

Chimaev is renowned for his aggressive first-round finishes, making him a dangerous opponent. The 31-year-old South African will need to withstand Chimaev's early onslaught. The longer the fight progresses, the more favourable the odds become for Du Plessis to retain his title.

Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland. Photo: X

However, Du Plessis is unlike any fighter Chimaev has faced before. He is stronger, fitter, possesses greater stamina, and exhibits a more unorthodox style than Chimaev’s previous opponents. Du Plessis embodies the quintessential South African fighting spirit, characterised by a relentless, never-say-die attitude.

Despite entering the bout as the underdog, Du Plessis is determined to prove his critics wrong and silence the doubters. He remains unfazed by Chimaev's reputation and is eager to showcase his skills on the world stage.

“Like you saw, he’s basically eight feet tall – I felt like I walked into Godzilla. But I’m just kidding,” said Du Plessis.

“He was super respectful, and like I’ve always said, if my opponent is respectful, I’ll be respectful before the fight. It doesn’t look like there’ll be any antics unless something changes.

“It’s good to see my opponent healthy, because the big question was always whether he was going to show up. That never bothered me, but I know people were wondering. For me, it doesn’t matter if I prepare for one guy and end up fighting someone else – I’m a complete fighter.

“What makes this fight so big is the hype. People want to see the two best fighters in the world go at it. And that’s why this fight is so big, because it’s truly, in a lot of times, it's just not possible to get the two best guys right now, because one is injured, and sometimes the two best guys in the world don't want to fight each other. Because it's tough – there can be only one winner.”

NO CALM BEFORE THE STORM ??@DricusDuPlessis vs @KChimaev

[ #UFC319 | TOMORROW | Live on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/MRCnwroU0T

— UFC (@ufc) August 15, 2025

“I want to fight the best in the world, and now people are going to see it. I mean, with two days out, there doesn't seem to be anything that's going wrong. I mean, the weigh-ins need to happen. But all things are looking great. We're here in Fight Week. Myself versus Khamzat, and that's what the fans wanted, and I'm super excited for this!”

The highly anticipated bout is scheduled to commence at approximately 04:00 South African time on Sunday.

Fighter Profiles

Dricus du Plessis:

• Record: 23 wins, 2 losses
• UFC Record: Undefeated
• Height: 185.92cm
• Weight: 83.91kg
• Reach: 193.04cm
• Stance: Switch
• Significant Strikes Landed per Minute (SLpM): 6.12
• Significant Striking Accuracy: 48%
• Significant Strikes Absorbed per Minute (SApM): 4.90
• Takedown Average per 15 minutes (TD Avg.): 2.55
• Takedown Accuracy: 50%
• Takedown Defence: 50%
• Submission Average per 15 minutes: 0.7

Khamzat Chimaev:

• Record: 14 wins, 0 losses
• UFC Record: Undefeated
• Height: 188.976cm
• Weight: 83.00kg
• Reach: 190.5cm
• Stance: Orthodox
• Significant Strikes Landed per Minute (SLpM): 5.36
• Significant Striking Accuracy: 58%
• Significant Strikes Absorbed per Minute (SApM): 3.25
• Striking Defence: 41%
• Takedown Average per 15 minutes (TD Avg.): 4.31
• Takedown Accuracy: 46%
• Takedown Defence: 100%
• Submission Average per 15 minutes: 2.8

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek dg