Dricus Du Plessis Eyes Two Division Titles After Chimaev Loss

Dricus Du Plessis is not letting a loss define him. The former UFC middleweight champion says he plans to reclaim his 185-pound belt and then move up to light heavyweight to become a two-division champion.

Du Plessis won the middleweight title from Sean Strickland in January 2024 and defended it twice before losing the belt to Khamzat Chimaev in a grappling-heavy fight. He bounced back with a win over Kamaru Usman in July at UFC Fight Night in Oklahoma City, per MMA Sucka, and is now laser-focused on getting back to the top.

"Getting my belt back is the biggest thing," Du Plessis said. He then confirmed his long-term plan to test himself at 205 pounds. "I'm big enough for that division, and I'm certain I can be champion in that division as well."

The South African revealed that he cuts roughly 45 pounds to make the middleweight limit, a brutal process he has accepted as part of the job. Moving to light heavyweight would ease that burden considerably, but Du Plessis insists the middleweight division needs to be cleaned out first.

At 32, Du Plessis believes time is on his side. He wants to face the toughest opponents available on his path back to the title, saying he needs to "own" his road rather than simply waiting for a title shot. The middleweight division is crowded at the top, and at least one more significant win is likely needed before he can challenge Chimaev again.

Du Plessis also took a shot at his former rival, claiming he felt Chimaev fading in their fight. "I could feel he didn't wanna be there anymore," he told Ariel Helwani, per MMA Sucka. Whether that is confidence or selective memory, the South African is clearly not done chasing belts.