Earlier this month, Dana White finally granted Khamzat Chimaev his long-awaited title shot — a moment that had been building for quite some time. And rightfully so. ‘Borz’ has done everything necessary to climb the ranks and solidify his spot among the elite. Now ranked #3 in the UFC middleweight division and still undefeated, he’s just one win away from claiming championship gold. The Russian is set to challenge reigning middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 this August.
The South African, who has yet to suffer a loss in the UFC, has taken out some of the division’s biggest names, including Sean Strickland, Israel Adesanya, and Robert Whittaker. But many now see Khamzat Chimaev as the toughest test Dricus Du Plessis has faced to date. Inside Chicago’s United Center, the Chechnya wolf will aim to dethrone the South African champion. Following his submission win over Robert Whittaker at UFC 308, Chimaev surged from #13 to #3 in the rankings — a leap that made headlines and solidified his claim to the next title shot.
That title shot might have arrived sooner if not for previous health setbacks that forced Khamzat Chimaev to withdraw from key matchups. Although he’s long been a fan favorite, his path has been anything but smooth. Now, with major adjustments to his training camp, ‘Borz’ seems more locked in than ever. In a bid to sharpen his wrestling, he’s partnered with two-time Olympic gold medalist Abdulrashid Sadulaev. Offering an update on X, the Russian wrestling icon wrote:
“The camp continues — the most intense phase has begun.”
The camp continues — the most intense phase has begun. pic.twitter.com/0QCEQjW5vh
— Adam Zubayraev (@AdamZubayraev) May 30, 2025
Abdulrashid Sadulaev is far more than just an Olympic champion — he’s also a six-time world champion and five-time European titleholder. A dominant force in the world of wrestling, Sadulaev has become a key sparring partner for Khamzat Chimaev as he gears up for his showdown with Dricus Du Plessis.
‘Stillknocks’ wrestling style, meanwhile, remains an enigma. Some critics have described it as “like a white guy dancing,” while others have likened it to “a chimpanzee on cocaine in a phone booth.” Despite the colorful descriptions, one thing is clear: his awkward, unpredictable approach has consistently delivered results.
Most recently, Dricus Du Plessis eked out a win in his rematch against Sean Strickland at UFC 312 back in February. Now preparing for his third title defense, he faces arguably his toughest test yet — and Strickland, for one, already has a bold prediction for how that fight will unfold.
Sean Strickland predicted the outcome of Khamzat Chimaev vs. Dricus Du Plessis
Sean Strickland may not be the ideal person to predict the outcome of the fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev, as he has only faced ‘StillKnocks’. However, his opinion carries added weight since he has fought the South African twice. Set to take place in just a few months, the highly anticipated clash between Du Plessis and ‘Borz’ has already generated tremendous excitement. Many regard this stylistic showdown as one of the year’s best matchups; both fighters remain undefeated in the promotion, but they possess distinctly different skill sets.
Dricus Du Plessis’ unconventional yet effective fighting style has kept him undefeated, while Khamzat Chimaev is a wrestling specialist. Even though the fight is still months away, it has become the talk of the town, with Strickland publicly backing Du Plessis. Despite being former training partners, ‘Tarzan’ openly shared his thoughts in an interview with Helen Yee,
“They can grapple,” Strickland said of ‘Borz’ in an interview with Helen Yee. “Someone like me, I’ve been training these f—— for years, I usually could counter-wrestle and grapple them. So, I just don’t know if f—— Dricus can be able to counter-wrestle him. But if he can, I think he wins, hands down. I sparred the f—— Chechen,” Strickland continued. “Hands down, I think Dricus wins.”
What’s your take on the upcoming UFC 319 main event? Do you believe Dricus Du Plessis will successfully defend his title against the undefeated powerhouse, Khamzat Chimaev? Share your thoughts below.
The post Khamzat Chimaev & 2X Wrestling Olympic World Champ Begin “Most Intense Phase” of Camp for Dricus Du Plessis Fight appeared first on EssentiallySports.
