Dricus Du Plessis Refuses to Fight Nassourdine Imavov if Khamzat Chimaev Pulls Out of UFC 319
Dricus Du Plessis Refuses to Fight Nassourdine Imavov if Khamzat Chimaev Pulls Out of UFC 319 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
UFC 319 is still months away, but anticipation is already building as the promotion prepares for its return to the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The event is officially scheduled for August 16. Headlining the event is a highly anticipated middleweight title fight between current champion Dricus Du Plessis and undefeated contender Khamzat Chimaev. But even with the date locked in, controversy is starting to bubble—especially after the champ made it clear he's not interested in facing a particular top contender if the plan falls apart.
Advertisement
In a recent interview shared by RMC Sport Combat, Du Plessis voiced his singular focus on fighting Chimaev and made his stance on Nassourdine Imavov crystal clear. 'I have to be honest, if [Chimaev] pulls out of this fight early, I will not fight Imavov because I want to fight Khamzat.
Dricus Du PlessisGetty Images
I don't want anything else,' Du Plessis said. He added, 'If I'm already there, two weeks, I'll fight Imavov if [Chimaev] pulls out. If he pulls out on four weeks, I'm not gonna fight.
I will wait for him because I want to beat him, because he's the best right now. I want to only fight the best of the best.' Du Plessis has also publicly expressed concern that Chimaev may not make it to fight night, adding more tension to the situation.
Nassourdine ImavovGetty Images
The remarks didn't sit well with Imavov, who fired back on social media with a sharp response: 'Thanks for the compliments @dricusduplessis but you're not Jon Jones, if something happens, you're not going to block anything, if you're not ready to defend leave the place.'
Advertisement
While Du Plessis didn't rule Imavov out entirely, it's clear he's not eager to risk his belt unless it's against Chimaev. Imavov, riding a four-fight win streak and fresh off a major victory over Israel Adesanya, isn't likely to take the sideline treatment lightly. As UFC 319 approaches, the drama outside the cage is already delivering plenty of action.
Related: Francis Ngannou's Trainer Sends a Clear Message to Dana White About a Return to the UFC
Related: Conor McGregor Reacts to Sean O'Malley's Camp Ahead of UFC 316
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Alex Pereira: Focus on Magomed Ankalaev rematch, not heavyweight move
NEW YORK—Fans clamoring for Alex Pereira to move to heavyweight are going to have to wait a bit longer. Pereira dropped the UFC light heavyweight title to Magomed Ankalaev in the main event of UFC 313 in March. With the heavyweight division up in the air, Jon Jones saying multiple times he's not interested in fighting right now, and interim champ Tom Aspinall looking for an opponent, 'Poatan' would be a popular choice to flip one of the UFC's thinner divisions upside down. Advertisement That time is not now, however, as Pereira has his sights set on a fall return to avenge his loss to Ankalaev. 'Anywhere around the timeframe [of] September, October, November, for me it makes no difference, I want to fight,' Pereira told MMA Fighting at Fanatics Fest. 'My focus right now is fighting Ankalaev... get my belt back, and then we see what happens after.' Pereira has accomplished so much in so little time that the opportunity to win a third divisional title seems like a reasonable goal and request. Right now, Pereira hopes the heavyweight division can get moving again in an entertaining way, but he has his own boxes to check. Advertisement 'Let those guys kill each other in that weight class,' Pereira said. 'Right now I'm just focusing on light heavyweight.' More from
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
⭐️ A wild finish: MVP shines in LAFC-ES Tunis clash
With a lack of a win in the Club World Cup, Los Angeles FC are mathematically eliminated from the tournament. Espérance Sportive de Tunis achieved an agonizing victory over the Angelinos and will play for their pass to the next round against Chelsea. Register on DAZN to watch ALL Club World Cup FIFA matches for FREE Advertisement The match had two great figures. The first was Youcef Belaïli, scorer of the goal in the 69th minute, who took advantage of a series of rebounds inside the rival area and was able to defeat the goalkeeper. In added time, LAFC had the opportunity to tie the match, but goalkeeper Bechir Ben Said became a hero, stopping Denis Bouanga's shot. It was a heart-stopping finish at Geodis Park. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here. 📸 PAUL ELLIS - AFP or licensors
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
George Kittle Reacts to Sam LaPorta's Major Personal Announcement
George Kittle Reacts to Sam LaPorta's Major Personal Announcement originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Sam LaPorta is heading into his third season as a star tight end for the Detroit Lions, looking to build off two impressive campaigns to begin his NFL career. Advertisement In 33 regular-season game appearances for the Lions, LaPorta reeled in 146 catches for 1,615 yards and 17 touchdowns. The former second-round draft pick will now look to continue that impressive production in Detroit's upcoming 2025 season. Off the field, LaPorta has had a busy offseason following Year 2 in the NFL. This past Saturday, the 24-year-old tight end married his longtime partner Callahan Dellinger. LaPorta and his newly-wed wife shared the news of their wedding ceremony with a joint Instagram post on Sunday. "A house built on rock.6/14/25," the couple wrote. Friends flooded the comments section with reactions to this news. One of the most notable reactions was from San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle. Advertisement "Congrats !!" Kittle wrote in the comments. LaPorta and Kittle both famously played their college football careers as standout tight ends for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) celebrates a play against Tennessee Titans with offensive tackle Penei Sewell (58) during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images 'LaPorta is going to be fantastic. I think Laporta's the best tight end in the draft class. I think the Lions got a complete steal," Kittle said after Detroit selected LaPorta with the No. 34 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. "I like the other tight ends too, but I spent two weeks training with Sam LaPorta, and the way he moves -- oh yeah, he's got the dog in him. He's kind of quirky, he's kind of goofy, too. He's going to fit in well.' LaPorta and the Lions will kickoff their 2025 regular-season schedule with a Week 1 matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Sep. 7. Advertisement Related: Broncos React to Notable Peyton Manning Announcement on Friday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
