Khamzat Chimaev has spoken out for the first time since reports emerged of an injury that threatened his shot at the UFC title.
The Swede has been unofficially pencilled in to face Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 317 as the headliner of International Fight Week in Las Vegas. However, a report from Kevin Iole this week has gone viral today where he notes that an injury to the champion has caused the bout to be postponed to a later date.
It had never been officially announced that the pair would fight on the major event, but fans had been theorising that it was the only bout that made sense for such a big slot. Now, it is unclear what will main event the biggest card of the year.
Khamzat Chimaev reacts as Dricus Du Plessis fight at UFC 317 in jeopardy
On Friday evening, UFC insider Kevin Iole wrote an article on his website examining future options for Islam Makhachev atop the lightweight division. The veteran reporter snuck in a line towards that notes International Fight Week may need a headliner after Dricus Du Plessis was injured.
“I’m hearing Dricus Du Plessis is injured,” Iole wrote in a paragraph buried midway through the piece. “And though there has been no confirmation, if that’s accurate, a bout between Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev couldn’t headline IFW.”
This quote has gone viral across MMA Twitter today, with fans speculating about the South African’s future. And Chimaev has taken to his social media to share a message of his own sharing his frustration at the situation.
“This guy biggest bulls—,” Chimaev wrote alongside an emoji of someone putting their face in their hands. It is unclear if he is saying this about Du Plessis, or possibly Iole in reaction to the report being false. However, a veteran of decades in the game, it is rare that Iole gets information like this wrong.
Dricus Du Plessis has been keen to fight Khamzat Chimaev
After putting Sean Strickland to the sword at UFC 312 in February, the South African dismissed talks of a super-fight with former divisional champion Alex Pereira. At the time, the Brazilian held light-heavyweight gold and could have given his rival a chance at a second world title.
But Du Plessis shifted his focus to the difficult challenge of Chimaev, who is undefeated and one of the most feared fighters in the UFC. “I want to make sure that with this belt, the middleweight title, there is no question that I’m the GOAT of the middleweight division,” Du Plessis explained.
“I know you have Anderson Silva… In my mind he is the GOAT of this division. You have Adesanya who’s done incredible things.
“But it’s not about how many times you defend, it’s about who you fight, how you defend it and in what period of time you’ve done it. I’m not rushing that my next fight is Alex Pereira. No. I want Khamzat next. He deserves a hiding.”
