Dricus Du Plessis has been the definition of a flip-the-script champion, yet the doubts just never seem to go away. Now, with his third title defense on the horizon, and this time against arguably the most dangerous opponent of his career, Khamzat Chimaev, the noise is only getting louder. Still, you can never count out the South African powerhouse. Most fans and analysts are leaning toward ‘Borz’ in what’s shaping up to be a blockbuster middleweight showdown. But with UFC 319 closing in, ‘Stillknocks’ is starting to turn some heads, and that also includes Daniel Cormier’s head.

The former double champ has been a fan of both of these fighters for a while now. He’s given Du Plessis his props, especially after that surgical performance in the Sean Strickland rematch at UFC 312, which really seemed to win him over. But let’s not forget—Cormier wasn’t always sold on the Dricus hype train. Not too long ago, ‘DC’ openly said that if Chimaev and Du Plessis ever squared off, the undefeated Chechen would walk right through him.

In 2024, the YouTube channel MMA Global’s compilation video, Cormier said, “If they book these guys today, I believe that Khamzat Chimaev will be the favorite. He will be the favorite on most scorecards if they put him and Dricus Du Plessis matched up right now, that is how good he’s looked in every [fight].” Now, in 2025, Daniel Cormier’s stance on Dricus Du Plessis has taken a complete turn. The South African champ’s evolution during his reign has impressed ‘DC’ so much that he now sees the upcoming clash with Khamzat Chimaev as a razor-close battle.

On the Good Guy / Bad Guy show, Cormier said: “I think it’s a great fight. I think Dricus’s awkward ability to create different angles and make you not recognize what you’re seeing makes it a much tougher fight than most people may anticipate. A couple fights ago, everybody would’ve thought Khamzat would run through Dricus du Plessis. But if you still feel that way today, you’re outta your mind! You have no idea what mixed martial arts is!”

Although the UFC commentator once saw this matchup very differently, opinions evolve, and that holds true even for one of the promotion’s most decorated and vocal figures. That said, it’s not hard to see why minds are changing. His recent performances have spoken volumes. For instance, Du Plessis showed some serious power in the fourth round, tagging Adesanya multiple times in their UFC 305 outing and handing Izzy his first submission loss ever while mixing the takedowns.

Then at UFC 312, he systematically broke down Strickland’s Philly shell defense, picking it apart in a way nobody expected. Moments like those are exactly why many wagers are coming Dricus’s way! So, if we’re talking about the wagers, a very interesting fellow middleweight believes the champion has enough chances to triumph inside the United Center Arena in Chicago. 

Reinier de Ridder backs Dricus du Plessis to beat Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319

Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev clash becomes more intriguing not because of the bad blood between these warriors. It’s because there’s a line that’s going to seemingly decide the winner. It’s whether ‘Borz’ will channel his inner wolf and get hold of his prey, or it’s Du Plessis who’s going to survive the attack, then hunt it in the later rounds. That’s the intrigue! Many have been dwelling in this area to make a decision, and Reinier de Ridder also believes the champ has enough chances to reign supreme. 

During an interview with MMA Junkie, de Ridder said: “I think Dricus will win, yeah. I don’t think Khamzat is going to get him out of there early, and Dricus is a m—r. He keeps going, and he gets better every round. I see Dricus finishing him in the late rounds. Like the fourth round, the fifth round may be with a lot of volume. I see Khamzat maybe taking him down in the first, second round, getting to his back maybe. I don’t know, I think Dricus has a good shot.”

At least Du Plessis’s long-lost ‘Dutch brother’ has got his back! Still, it’s fair to say that ‘Stillknocks’ might turn the tide in the later rounds, but only if Khamzat starts to fade and can’t keep up with his relentless takedown pressure. If that doesn’t happen, we are in for an even more intense battle. One where both fighters will need to make smart, in-fight adjustments to outmaneuver each other.

With all that said, the hype around the UFC 319 main event is through the roof, and it’s only getting bigger by the day. After all, this is one of those super-fights fans have been waiting for. So if you’re one of the impatient ones counting down the days, let us know your thoughts in the comments below!