With UFC 317 set to anchor the much-hyped International Fight Week this June, anticipation had been building around a potential blockbuster bout. UFC CEO Dana White had already teased this middleweight clash as a “fun” fight to headline the biggest MMA event of the year during the UFC 314 post-fight presser. And despite no official confirmation, it sparked a wave of excitement among fans. But it now seems that White & Co. might have run into a string of bad luck — or perhaps the wrath of the MMA gods.
Since the start of the year, setbacks have plagued the promotion: injuries derailing key matchups, last-minute withdrawals, and weight-cut disasters. And now, just as things seemed to be coming together, another potential headliner appears to be in jeopardy. The rumored UFC 317 middleweight title clash between Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev — a bout that had the makings of one of the biggest showdowns of the year — might not happen as planned.
This isn’t just hearsay. Veteran journalist Kevin Iole shared the troubling update in his latest piece, although the UFC has yet to confirm it. In his Friday article, Iole wrote: “I’m hearing Dricus du Plessis is injured, and though there has been no confirmation, if that’s accurate, a bout between Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev couldn’t headline IFW,” wrote Iole in a Friday article about UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. “So Makhachev will be needed for Las Vegas in June.”
“I’m hearing Dricus Du Plessis is injured, and though there has been no confirmation, if that’s accurate, a bout between Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev couldn’t headline IFW.”
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— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) April 20, 2025
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