With his dominant performance at UFC 312 against former champion Sean Strickland earlier this month, Dricus Du Plessis not only secured his second successful title defense but also cemented his name as the gold standard at 185lbs. Since joining the UFC, ‘Stillknocks’ has remained a force to be reckoned with. However, the MMA community has often mocked his unorthodox “how a white guy dances” fighting style. However, unfazed by criticism, the South African has continued to prove doubters wrong.

Despite being labeled an underdog against former champions like Robert Whittaker, Sean Strickland, and Israel Adesanya, Du Plessis has defied expectations, turning every prediction upside down. His latest performance, a relentless striking display at UFC 312, won over even his harshest critics, including Mike Tyson‘s former boxing trainer Teddy Atlas. Speaking on his YouTube show The Fight with Teddy Atlas, Atlas broke down his fight strategy, explaining how he manages to deceive opponents with his unique style.

Atlas explained, “The opponent sees it, the opponent feels it—he’s better than he looks. Yeah, he’s big and strong, and yeah, he’s well-rounded. That’s the thing. And yeah, he’s smarter than you think he is. He’s doing little, subtle things in there to supplement the big and strong parts of what he is.”

Building on his analysis, the former boxing coach further elaborated on Dricus Du Plessis’ strategic approach inside the Octagon. “At the end of the day, he mixed it up more, he was busier, he understood the plans. He understood that he couldn’t get beat by the jab. No matter how he lost—if he lost—he wasn’t going to let it be by the jab. So, he made sure—lefty and righty—he threw enough jabs. He did not allow himself to be dominated by the jab.”

With this dominant performance, the South African has now firmly established himself as the king of the middleweight division. Looking ahead, the question remains—who will be his next challenger? While a long list of contenders, including Nassourdine Imavov, awaits a title shot, all signs point to Khamzat Chimaev as the most likely next opponent. Now, the burning question lingers—can Khamzat Chimaev be the one to dethrone Dricus Du Plessis? Let’s hear what the experts have to say.

Henry Cejudo weighs in on the potential matchup between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev

“It’s hard to say. We don’t know what would happen with Khamzat,” said UFC commentator Joe Rogan after Dricus Du Plessis cemented his place at the top of the middleweight division with a grueling five-round victory over Sean Strickland. Rogan, who had initially backed Khamzat Chimaev as the division’s next dominant force, appeared to rethink his stance after witnessing DDP’s well-rounded performance. His comments have only intensified the debate over who truly rules the 185-pound division.

For former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo, however, there’s no question—Dricus Du Plessis is the real deal. Speaking on his Pound 4 Pound podcast, Cejudo first weighed in on a potential showdown between ‘Stillknocks’ and the 205lbs champion Alex Pereira, stating he would “put his money” on the South African.

Later in the conversation with co-host Kamaru Usman, Cejudo turned his attention to the much-discussed Du Plessis vs. Chimaev matchup. “Congratulations to DDP, he put on a masterpiece [against Sean Strickland]. I personally think he beats up Khamzat Chimaev. I don’t think he’ll be easily submitted—I think DDP is scrambly,” Cejudo predicted.

What are your thoughts on Teddy Atlas’ assessment? Do you believe Dricus du Plessis has what it takes to successfully defend his middleweight title against Khamzat Chimaev? Share your opinion below!