Du Plessis was 9-0 in the UFC ahead of UFC 319, having won the middleweight title with a decision against Sean Strickland in early 2024 before recording two successful title defences. The South African submitted former champion Israel Adesanya last August and outpointed Strickland again in February.

Earlier this month, du Plessis defended his title against Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 319 in Chicago. It was a disaster. Chimaev dominated “Stillknocks” for 25 minutes, completely neutralizing the champion to the point that UFC CEO Dana White argued the fight should have been scored a 50-41.

Dricus Du Plessis breaks silence after losing his UFC title to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319, vowing a stronger comeback in pursuit of greatness.