The stage is set at Chicago’s United Center for the main event of UFC 319. On one side stands the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev. On the other hand, middleweight king Dricus Du Plessis is proudly holding the belt he tore from the hands of the division’s elite.

But while the headlines scream about Chimaev’s rise and Du Plessis’ status as a betting underdog, the South African isn’t just thinking about the punches and takedowns. He’s bracing for something far more visceral, the moment before the first strike. And for ‘Stillknocks’, that instant is more terrifying than anything else he’s ever faced!

In a recent interview with Full Send MMA on YouTube, the middleweight champion didn’t hesitate when asked if he’s visualized the iconic pre-fight stare-down with the Chechen warrior. He confessed, “Absolutely, I visualize it every single time. Look, I’m getting goosebumps. I just visualized it again. Every fight I visualize it. You can visualize all you want, when you get in there, I can’t wait for that moment.”

Du Plessis knows that feeling well. He’s been there against names like Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, and most memorably, Sean Strickland twice. And surprisingly, he admitted, “You know, it’s the most terrifying moment on Earth. I’ve done some crazy stuff in my life. There is no moment as terrifying as that. And it’s not just this guy, with this guy or this guy, every single time. I did with Strickland twice.”

For all the nerves he feels, Dricus Du Plessis thrives in that crucible. The numbers back it up. Since entering the UFC, he’s racked up nine wins and boasts a 44% KO/TKO rate. Yet for all his accomplishments and the weapons he possesses, he made a stunning confession about his encounters with Strickland.

According to Du Plessis in the recent interview, “And I think I might have been more scared or more terrified the second time around because all, everything comes down to it. This, the whole last three months, everything that I’ve done in my whole life comes down to this moment. ”

In a sport built on bravado and the warrior spirit, it’s rare to see a champion make an admission that he’s “terrified” when he steps into the Octagon. But maybe that’s what makes him dangerous, because in that state of mind, there’s no margin for error, and it all comes down to who can push through the doubt and pressure and come out on top inside the Octagon.

In fact, according to his coach, Khamzat Chimaev might be in for a rude awakening when he steps into the cage at UFC 319 as ‘Stillknocks’ and his team have revealed how they plan to stop the juggernaut that is ‘Borz’!

Dricus Du Plessis’ coach lays out a bold challenge for Khamzat Chimaev as he dubs his fighter “the problem”

At this point, the entire MMA sphere knows Khamzat Chimaev‘s trademark fast start. With his chain wrestling combined with suffocating pressure, ‘Borz’ charges across the cage at his opponents and overwhelms them. Most fighters retreat in the face of such an offense, but Dricus Du Plessis isn’t planning on taking a step back.

According to his head coach, Morne Visser, during the UFC 319 countdown, “Khamzat doesn’t know what it is when people want to wrestle him, He’s only facing guys who are trying to get away from his wrestling. We don’t want to try to get away from his wrestling, we want to f— him up in his game.”

That’s not just bravado. Du Plessis has been here before; in his last two title defenses, he dismantled Sean Strickland and finished Israel Adesanya. Chimaev earned his shot with a first-round blitz of Robert Whittaker, but even that dominant win didn’t convince Team Du Plessis that ‘Borz’ is untouchable.

Why?—because they’ve seen cracks before. Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman both found success by pressing forward, forcing Chimaev to think instead of simply mauling. Visser believes his fighter can do the same, but with more finishing instinct.

According to him, “You can’t think that you’re gonna beat my guy coming with one thing, and that’s wrestling. That guy is one-dimensional. Have you seen his standup? I wouldn’t even give him a pro license for his standup. He doesn’t present any problem for us. We’re the problem.”

So, when the lights drop in Chicago and Bruce Buffer’s voice booms, the fear Du Plessis admits to will be there. But so will the fire that’s carried him through every war. And if his coach is right about Chimaev being one-dimensional, UFC 319 might just end with the South African still champion and proving everyone wrong. What do you think of ‘Stillknock’s game plan? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!