Daniel Cormier Gives Islam Makhachev & Team Khabib a Reality Check on Challenging Dricus Du Plessis

Islam Makhachev wants to do something almost unheard of in the UFC—Move up two weight classes and become a champion. The lightweight champ, of course, has long wanted to become a double champ, but he went one step further at a recent press conference and claimed he could even move up to middleweight and beat its reigning champ, Dricus Du Plessis. Of course, Dana White won’t let something like that happen and when asked about the Dagestani’s aspirations, White stated:

“Listen, if he wants to move up to 170 we can talk, moving up to 185 is a whole other level.” However, Makhachev’s side won’t back down. His head coach, Javier Mendez, has said that the Dagestani “has the ability” to go “for three titles in three weight divisions.” But most in the MMA world are skeptical of this claim and this includes Makhachev’s friend and former teammate, Daniel Cormier, who felt that the Dagestani was underestimating the middleweight champ.

“We just watched him submit Israel Adesanya. We just watched him break him down over the course of three rounds and get him to a point where Izzy got submitted by him; Something we’ve never seen before. We have seen him beat Sean Strickland. We have seen him finish Robert Whittaker. At some point, we have to respect Dricus Du Plessis. I think Islam respects him, I don’t know that Islam would understand how hard it would be to fight a guy of that size. I think this guy might weigh 220! 220 when he’s not making weight.

“You know, many people talk about the amount of weight that the Russians cut and Islam cuts weight to make 155. But I don’t know that even on his heaviest days, he weighs a 185 pounds. Now, I am not saying that I don’t think that he can do it. I just think that it’s much harder than I think anyone understands to go up two weight classes,” Cormier said on his official YouTube channel.

Indeed, Cormier is correct. One of the most pertinent accusations leveled against the Dagestani fighters is that they are weight bullies. But, as ‘DDP’ recently pointed out, Makhachev may be “a big lightweight, but I’m a big middleweight.”

Fans will remember even Joe Rogan wondering recently how Du Plessis makes 185 since he is so big. “Every time I shake his hand, I’m like, ‘How the f–k are you 185 pounds?’ He looks like a heavyweight,” Rogan once revealed. Cormier seemingly agrees with ‘DDP’ and Rogan and feels that fighting the South African at middleweight would be much harder than what Makhachev believes.

In addition to the size, there is another reason that Makhachev will probably find beating Du Plessis a very uphill task.

Islam Makhachev’s two main challenges in a potential Du Plessis middleweight clash

As Cormier pointed out in the same YouTube video, “there are weight classes for a reason.” The laws of physics dictate that with more mass, strength increases too. It also means that a heavier fighter needs to be hit harder and with more force to hurt them than a lighter fighter, all things being equal.

After all, almost every fighter in the UFC cuts weight to compete at a lower weight class because that gives them a competitive advantage. While Makhachev does have the tools and the skills to compete at middleweight, Du Plessis may just be a bridge too far. At least that is what ‘DDP’ thinks. Why? Well, not just because of his sheer size, but also his totally wild and unreasonably effective style of fighting.

Almost everything the middleweight champ does is technically ‘incorrect.’ In fact, even Tom Aspinall was left scratching his head by DDP’s ‘weird’ fighting style. For the Englishman, it was very difficult to point out what Du Plessis was good at. But the South African, because of his immense strength, amazing cardio, and indomitable spirit, is able to just find a way to win.

“He [Makhachev] obviously trains with the 185ers in his gym. He doesn’t train against me. Believe me, it’s not the same thing. Even on a technical level, in stand up? His wrestling and grappling is phenomenal. But I’ll just overpower him,” Du Plessis said earlier this week.

What are your thoughts on ‘DC’s warning for Makhachev wanting to fight Du Plessis at middleweight? Let us know in the comments below.