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For weeks, it has been expected that the UFC's next International Fight Week festivities would be headlined by a highly anticipated middleweight title showdown.
But according to a new report, don't expect an announcement of that fight any time soon. Longtime combat sports reporter Kevin Iole on Friday reported – way down at the bottom, almost as an aside in a tangentially related column – that middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) is injured and won't be able to fight expected challenger Khamzat Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) to headline the UFC 317 pay-per-view at T-Mobile Arena.
Announcements of bookings for UFC 317 have been few and far between given the event is only two months away, but a flyweight title bout between champ Alexandre Pantoja and challenger Kai Kara-France will be on the docket. But that's far from the type of splash the UFC typically likes to make with its International Fight Week headliner.
After claiming the 185-pound strap from Sean Strickland in January 2024, Du Plessis has established himself in the position of titleholder with defenses over Israel Adesanya and a rematch with Strickland.
The 31-year-old South African, who is No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings and No. 5 pound-for-pound, called for a matchup with No. 2-ranked Chimaev in late 2024, but was instead booked for the rematch with Strickland at UFC 312 in February, which he won by unanimous decision.
The 30-year-old Chimaev has had title expectations placed on him since he splashed on the UFC scene in emphatic fashion in July 2020, but the road to the top has been slowed by injuries and other health issues.
Chimaev claims to have made beneficial adjustments to his training regiment, however, and that's what led to his first-round finish of former champ Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October, which was named MMA Junkie's 2024 Submission of the Year.
Chimaev was looking to become the 15th fighter in UFC history to claim an undisputed belt with an undefeated record.
The UFC has not made any announcements about Du Plessis' reported injury.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Report: Dricus Du Plessis out vs. Khamzat Chimaev, UFC 317 main event
Continue reading...
But according to a new report, don't expect an announcement of that fight any time soon. Longtime combat sports reporter Kevin Iole on Friday reported – way down at the bottom, almost as an aside in a tangentially related column – that middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) is injured and won't be able to fight expected challenger Khamzat Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) to headline the UFC 317 pay-per-view at T-Mobile Arena.
Announcements of bookings for UFC 317 have been few and far between given the event is only two months away, but a flyweight title bout between champ Alexandre Pantoja and challenger Kai Kara-France will be on the docket. But that's far from the type of splash the UFC typically likes to make with its International Fight Week headliner.
After claiming the 185-pound strap from Sean Strickland in January 2024, Du Plessis has established himself in the position of titleholder with defenses over Israel Adesanya and a rematch with Strickland.
The 31-year-old South African, who is No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings and No. 5 pound-for-pound, called for a matchup with No. 2-ranked Chimaev in late 2024, but was instead booked for the rematch with Strickland at UFC 312 in February, which he won by unanimous decision.
The 30-year-old Chimaev has had title expectations placed on him since he splashed on the UFC scene in emphatic fashion in July 2020, but the road to the top has been slowed by injuries and other health issues.
Chimaev claims to have made beneficial adjustments to his training regiment, however, and that's what led to his first-round finish of former champ Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October, which was named MMA Junkie's 2024 Submission of the Year.
Chimaev was looking to become the 15th fighter in UFC history to claim an undisputed belt with an undefeated record.
The UFC has not made any announcements about Du Plessis' reported injury.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Report: Dricus Du Plessis out vs. Khamzat Chimaev, UFC 317 main event
Continue reading...
