Chimaev Victorious Over Du Plessis at UFC 319, Secures Middleweight Title

Following Khamzat Chimaev’s dominant victory to claim the UFC middleweight title at UFC 319, UFC legend Quinton Jackson has advised former champion Dricus du Plessis against pursuing a rematch. Instead, Jackson suggests Du Plessis should consider a different weight class, according to various media outlets.

Chimaev secured the UFC middleweight belt with a convincing performance against South Africa’s Du Plessis at the United Centre. He was awarded a unanimous decision, with all judges scoring the contest 50-44 in his favor.

In the opening round, Chimaev inflicted damage, executing an early takedown and securing a crucifix position. The subsequent round unfolded similarly, with Chimaev maintaining control.

By the third and fourth rounds, Du Plessis struggled, finding himself in unfavorable positions that hindered his ability to launch a comeback.

While Du Plessis has shown resilience in the past, this defeat, marking his third title defense, raises concerns. As discussions around the former champion’s future opponent intensify, Jackson has urged Du Plessis to avoid contemplating a rematch with Chimaev during a recent podcast appearance.

“He just suffered a significant defeat. With respect, DDP shouldn’t even mention the possibility of a rematch in any interview,” Jackson stated.

“DDP might need to explore a different weight category; perhaps moving to a lower one, as he seems to be in a difficult situation.”

Prior to the fight with Chimaev, Du Plessis had a strong run, defeating Sean Strickland in their UFC 312 match in February and achieving a fourth-round submission victory against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 during his second title defense.

Chimaev maintains an unblemished record of 15-0 since his debut five years ago.