Latest news with #DricusDuPlessis
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kamaru Usman Wants Dricus Du Plessis in Historic Africa vs. Africa Showdown
Kamaru Usman Wants Dricus Du Plessis in Historic Africa vs. Africa Showdown originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Dricus Du Plessis is back in the gym, locked in and laser-focused as he preps for his headline war against the ever-dangerous Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 this August. The South African warrior isn't just tuning up for another bout — he's igniting waves across the division. Whispers are already circulating after a standout from UFC Atlanta made it clear: he's watching, he's waiting, and he wants next. Advertisement Kamaru Usman, the 'Nigerian Nightmare,' reminded everyone why his name still carries weight. At UFC Atlanta, he turned back the clock with a commanding unanimous decision over Joaquin Buckley. Dricus du PlessisJeff Bottari-GettyImages It wasn't just a win — it was a statement. His first victory since 2022 and a much-needed rebound after a tough skid, including his last outing against Chimaev at UFC 294. Speaking to TMZ Sports in a video that Red Corner MMA quickly amplified, Usman dropped a bombshell: 'After getting the welterweight belt, they [UFC] have asked and waited years for me to go up and get the middleweight belt. I will relinquish that if Dricus Du Plessis is still the champion — all-African card. Africa vs. Africa, first card in Africa. UFC is close to getting that done. South Africa vs. Nigeria — it's a rivalry that's been built forever.' 'If things start to fall in line, I think we're gonna see a pretty interesting next 18 months.' Dana White, never shy about global ambitions, told Sports Business Journal: 'I'm looking to go into Africa for the first time. We have a champion from South Africa… I'm looking to go everywhere, everywhere on this planet we're going to end up doing a live event.' Kamaru UsmanGetty Images A Du Plessis vs. Usman matchup? That's not just fireworks — that's a global moment in the making. Two African titans, one historic card. The world will be watching. Advertisement Related: Ben Askren: New Update Reveals Emotional Details on UFC Veteran's Ongoing Health Battle Related: UFC Abu Dhabi: Robert Whittaker Set to Face Fastest-Rising Middleweight Star in Legacy Fight This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Kamaru Usman eyes superfight with UFC middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis
Kamaru Usman eyes superfight with UFC middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis – in Africa Kamaru Usman has mapped out a plan to take part in the UFC's planned debut event in Africa. The UFC is interested in introducing the octagon in Africa, and UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) has been heavily linked to those plans. Usman (21-4 MMA, 16-3 UFC), who returned to the win column with an impressive win over Joaquin Buckley at UFC on ESPN 69, hopes he can secure a title fight with Du Plessis after he tries to reclaim his welterweight title. "After getting the belt, they asked and they waited years for me to go up and get the middleweight strap, and why not?" Usman told TMZ Sports. "I will relinquish that if Dricus Du Plessis is still the champion: an all-African card. Africa vs. Africa, first card in Africa. UFC is close to getting that done. "South Africa vs. Nigeria: It's a rivalry that's been built forever, a sports rivalry. I think that's another blockbuster, and I think those are two mega-events that you're going to remember for generations. Manifestation is very, very powerful. If things start to fall in line, I think we're going to see a pretty interesting next 18 months." Usman's middleweight debut was an impressive one. Although he didn't get his hand raised, he pushed No. 1 contender and undefeated Khamzat Chimaev to the brink on short notice in a majority decision loss at UFC 294.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC Announces First Nine Fights For UFC 319 PPV Fight Car
TORONTO, ONTARIO - JANUARY 20: Dricus Du Plessis of South Africa reacts after his victory against ... More Sean Strickland in a UFC middleweight championship bout during the UFC 297 event at Scotiabank Arena on January 20, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) The next defense of the UFC middleweight title headlines the UFC 319 pay-per-view fight card. In that matchup, Dricus du Plessis looks to defend his title against the No. 3 ranked UFC middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev. UFC 319 takes place on August 16 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The UFC has not held a Chicago fight card since 2019. In addition to the main event, the UFC has confirmed several other fights for the ESPN+ streaming PPV card. Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev - For Du Plessis's UFC middleweight title Jared Cannonier vs. Michael Page - Middleweight Gerald Meerschaert vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk - Middleweight Edson Barboza vs. Drakkar Klose - Lightweight King Green vs. Diego Ferreira - Lightweight Karine Silva vs. JJ Aldrich - Women's Flyweight Bryan Battle vs. Nursulton Ruziboev - Middleweight Chase Hooper vs. Alexander Hernandez - Lightweight Jessica Andrade vs. Loopy Godinez - Women's Strawweight Saturday, August 16, 2025 United Center in Chicago, IL On Sale on Friday, June 20 Main Card: 10:00 p.m. ET Preliminary Card: 8:00 p.m. ET Early Prelims: 6:00 p.m. ET South Africa's Dricus du Plessis celebrates his victory over Sean Strickland of the US after their ... More men's middleweight division event of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 312 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on February 9, 2025. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP) / — IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE — (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images) Dricus du Plessis (23-2) joined the UFC in October 2020 as a 26-year-old with a 14-2 record. Before he joined the UFC, Du Plessis had won titles with KSW and EFC. He made his debut against Markus Perez on the main card of a UFC Fight Night event in Abu Dhabi. Du Plessis knocked out Perez in the first round. He followed that win with a July 2021 'Performance of the Night' KO win of Trevin Giles. Those two wins earned him a shot against the ranked veteran Brad Tavares. Du Plessis won that scrap via decision. The victory put him in the top 15 of the division. A December 2022 submission win over Darren Till moved Du Plessis to No. 10 in the division. A TKO win over the No. 5 ranked Derek Brunson followed. Du Plessis, who was working his way up the rankings, faced a tough test in his next outing when he met the No. 2 ranked Robert Whittaker at UFC 290. Du Plessis continued his rise, knocking out the former UFC champion in the UFC middleweight title eliminator and earning another 'Performance of the Night' bonus. More important than the bonus was the title shot Du Plessis received for that win. He faced then-champion Sean Strickland in January, taking the title from Strickland in a 'Fight of the Night' bonus-winning scrap. In his first title defense Du Plessis picked up an August 2024 submission win over former UFC middleweight champ Israel Adesanya. Du Plessis most recently faced Strickland in a rematch at UFC 312 in early February of this year. Du Plessis won that contest via unanimous decision. I wrote of the champ after that fight, "Dricus du Plessis looked much more controlled and less reckless at UFC 312 than in many of his previous battles. He mixed up his striking techniques and targets against Sean Strickland, landed the more powerful blows, and didn't put himself in too many awkward positions. "Du Plessis did a much better job in his UFC 312 rematch against Strickland in shutting down his foe's offense. In the first fight, Strickland landed 173 of 408 significant strikes. While in the rematch, Strickland was held to 128 landed strikes on 263 attempts. Meanwhile, Du Plessis increased his landed strikes and landing percentage from the first fight to the second. In the first battle, Du Plessis landed 137 of 354 attempts for a landing rate of 38 percent. At UFC 312, the champ landed 147 of 314 attempts for a striking rate of 46 percent. 'Du Plessis has defended the UFC middleweight crown twice while going 9-0 in the UFC. Despite his winning ways, the champ remains a bit of an enigma because his style shouldn't work — but it does.' ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - OCTOBER 26: Khamzat Chimaev of Russia reacts after a submission ... More victory against Robert Whittaker of New Zealand in a middleweight fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Chimaev (14-0) is the No. 3 fighter in the official UFC middleweight rankings. The 30-year-old made his UFC debut in July 2020 with a second-round submission win over John Phillips. He followed that victory with a first-round TKO over Rhys McKee 10 days later, breaking the UFC record for the quickest turnaround between UFC wins in the modern era. Then, in September, Chimaev knocked out Gerald Meerschaert. Things slowed down for Chimaev after that. He was booked to face Leon Edwards in December 2020, but that matchup never came to be despite multiple attempts to make the fight happen. The reason behind the numerous cancellations of Edwards vs. Chimaev was COVID-19. When Chimaev finally returned to the Octagon in October 2021, he made short work of Li Jingliang, scoring a submission at 3:16 of Round 1. In his next bout, Chimaev went the distance for the first time in his career, picking up a victory over Gilbert Burns. He followed that with a submission over Kevin Holland. A break of more than a year followed that victory. Chimaev's next outing was an October 2023 matchup against Kamaru Usman, a fight that Chimaev won via decision. A year after that, Chimaev made short work of Robert Whittaker, defeating the ex-UFC middleweight champ via submission (face crank) in the first round of their UFC 308 scrap. We will have more on Du Plessis vs. Chimaev and the UFC 319 fight card as fight night approaches.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Usman Has A ‘Simple Path' To DDP
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight king Kamaru Usman finally returns to action after a lengthy layoff against surging contender Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta this weekend (Sat., June 14, 2025) inside State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 'The Nigerian Nightmare' is all about the idea of big 'blockbuster' fights these days. Advertisement Recently, he revealed that he sees a potential fight with Islam Makhachev, who is now moving up to the Welterweight division, as a massive superfight and something he's looking forward to. But at UFC Atlanta's media day, the 38-year-old unveiled a bolder vision: a second title and a historic Africa showdown with Middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis. And the route to get there is easy in his eyes. 'My path there is pretty simple,' Usman told reporters. 'I'll just lay out the map here. I'll finish Buckley this weekend and then wait for the winner of, I believe, Islam and JDM, which is going to be an incredible fight. It's such a great thing now having Islam come up into the division. Who wouldn't buy a ticket to that? Former pound-for-pound and current pound-for-pound. I love Islam. Islam is a great fighter. I think that's something that we'd both remember forever.' Advertisement 'Win [against Islam] and then go ahead and probably vacate, go up,' Usman continued. 'Myself vs. Dricus Du Plessis, if he is the champion, or Khamzat Chimaev, too, if Dricus is no longer the champion, we do that. If Dricus is the champion, we do that in the first card in Africa. That's another blockbuster. These are back-to-back blockbuster fights you tell your grandkids about. Who wouldn't watch those?' Usman's blockbuster blueprint is electrifying, but a ferocious Buckley stands in his way this Saturday. With knockout power and a hunger to topple a legend, Buckley aims to shatter 'The Nigerian Nightmare's' comeback. Dream big. Remember that will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Atlanta fight card right here, starting with the ESPN/ESPN+ 'Prelims' matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+). Advertisement To check out the latest and greatest UFC Atlanta: 'Usman vs. Buckley' news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. More from
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
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.
