Here’s a bold statement: Khamzat Chimaev has no chance against Alex Pereira, and Dricus du Plessis is here to tell you why. But here’s where it gets controversial—despite being dominated by Chimaev in their 25-minute octagon clash just two months ago, du Plessis insists the middleweight champ should stay in his lane and avoid stepping up to face Pereira. Why? Because, in du Plessis’s words, ‘There’s no way’ Chimaev emerges victorious in that matchup.
Let’s break it down. Du Plessis lost the middleweight title to Chimaev at UFC 319 in a lopsided unanimous decision. While Chimaev’s first title defense remains a mystery, he’s been vocal about wanting to jump to 205 pounds to challenge Pereira for the light heavyweight crown. This talk gained traction after Pereira’s jaw-dropping 80-second stoppage of Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 earlier this month. And this is the part most people miss—Pereira’s ability to effortlessly move between weight classes, coupled with his dominance, makes him a nightmare for anyone, including Chimaev.
In a recent interview with Fight Forecast, du Plessis didn’t hold back. ‘Khamzat has always had crazy callouts,’ he said, ‘but there’s no way he beats Pereira, in my opinion.’ Du Plessis’s confidence in Pereira isn’t just hype—it’s rooted in Pereira’s recent performance and his sheer size. After losing the light heavyweight title to Ankalaev at UFC 313 in March, Pereira was granted an immediate rematch and delivered a stunning finish, marking the first time Ankalaev was stopped via strikes. Since then, Pereira has set his sights on a heavyweight clash with Jon Jones, another two-division champion, eyeing the UFC White House event as his next big stage.
Here’s the kicker: Du Plessis believes Pereira is one of the greatest combat athletes ever, and his size advantage at light heavyweight—where he looked massive against Ankalaev—only adds to his dominance. ‘Pereira is a big guy,’ du Plessis explained. ‘Even at light heavyweight, he looked so big against Ankalaev, it was crazy. I think all this talk about Chimaev beating him is just hype. There’s no realistic chance of that happening.’
So, is du Plessis right? Or is there a chance Chimaev could pull off the upset? Here’s a thought-provoking question for you: Does Pereira’s ability to dominate across weight classes make him unbeatable, or is Chimaev being underestimated? Let’s hear your take in the comments—agree or disagree, the debate is wide open!
