The conversation for pound-for-pound could have a new addition if Dricus du Plessis stands tall at UFC 319.
Entering Saturday’s pay-per-view event, du Plessis has not been beaten since Oct. 6, 2018. The UFC Middleweight Champion’s next challenger is Khamzat Chimaev, who has yet to experience a loss in MMA competition. Many experts have weighed in on what to expect when the cage door closes for du Plessis vs. Chimaev.
Chael Sonnen took to “Good Guy/Bad Guy” to pose the question of just how close du Plessis would be near the top of the pound-for-pound list (h/t MMAJunkie).
“In a division that tough, and I used to be the king at middleweight, I knew middleweights inside and out, they did not have 10 Anderson Silvas at middleweigt, but they do now,” Sonnen said on “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Daniel Cormier. If Dricus can go out and look good and get the win over Chimaev, I think he all of a sudden is going to be flirting with Islam’s space and Ilia’s space.
“He’s going to be flirting with the top three, and that’s the only way we know how to compliment them in our industry, we give them a belt, we give them a main event, then we give them a little bit more, and that top three pound-for-pound placing is very within reach right now for Dricus.”
DDP’s coach, Morne Visser, appeared on the UFC 319 countdown show and he called Chimaev “one-dimensional.” Chimaev has vowed to walk out of Chicago with UFC gold, and he squashed rumors that claimed he’s set on retiring if he defeats du Plessis on Saturday. Things are heating up in the middleweight division with Reinier de Ridder, Nassourdine Imavov, Caio Borralho, and an emerging Anthony Hernandez.
We’ll soon find out who will welcome the next crop of challengers in the UFC middleweight division.
