Dricus Du Plessis questions Khamzat Chimaev’s focus after UFC fight

After losing to Sean Strickland at UFC 328, Khamzat Chimaev’s weight-cut struggles became a hot topic. But his opponent, Dricus Du Plessis, isn’t buying the excuses. The South African fighter pointed out that tough weight cuts are common in MMA. Fighters often drop around 12 pounds in the final stretch, pushing their bodies to the limit. Du Plessis knows this firsthand, having faced grueling cuts himself. He argues that blaming weight cuts for a loss is like using a crutch—it avoids real accountability. Du Plessis didn’t hold back in his criticism. He compared fighters who make excuses to athletes who blame poor performance on bad conditions instead of admitting they weren’t ready. Once the bell rings, excuses disappear, he says. The fight is over, and the only thing left is proving who’s stronger. He also highlighted that fighters can pull out if a weight cut is too dangerous, showing that risks are part of the sport.Chimaev’s future now looks shaky. After struggling to make weight, he hinted at moving up to light heavyweight. But instead of changing divisions, he’s now focused on a rematch with Strickland. The fight was close, and Chimaev’s condition during fight week raised eyebrows. Now, fans are left wondering if his next move will be smart—or another mistake. The rivalry between Du Plessis and Chimaev keeps heating up. Before Du Plessis became champion, he beat Chimaev decisively. Now, with Strickland still in the mix and another title fight possible, the middleweight division is full of tension. Whether Chimaev stays at 185 pounds or moves up, his weight-cut drama won’t fade anytime soon.