There are very few fighters in the UFC who have had a rise like Dricus Du Plessis. The South African fighter has rapidly established himself as a dominant force in the UFC’s middleweight division in a short span. With his relentless pressure, unorthodox striking, and underrated grappling, the champion has bulldozed through some of the toughest names in the sport. His rise hasn’t just been about wins—it’s been about making a statement every time he steps inside the Octagon.

Du Plessis is all set to defend his title against the very dangerous Khamzat Chimaev at the upcoming UFC 319 event. ‘Borz’ is entering the fight after an impressive first-round victory over former champion Robert Whittaker. Former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold has raised questions about Chimaev’s endurance, arguing that if UFC 319 goes beyond the early rounds, Du Plessis may gain a significant edge as Chimaev’s relentless style may fade.

It is believed that the amount of pressure Chimaev puts on his opponents right from the beginning this will be the toughest challenge for ‘Stillknocks’ in his career. But the champion has the experience of fighting some of the toughest fighters in the division and coming out on top. But who does he actually rate the toughest so far in his career?

Recently, reinvigorated contender Reinier de Ridder, ranked No. 5 in the division has stated his intention to face the winner within the next six to nine months, calling Chimaev’s style more conventional and easier to scout than Du Plessis’, making the South African a potential roadblock to reaching the top echelon.

Du Plessis sat down for a chat on the Betway South Africa show just before his highly anticipated clash. While speaking to the host, he made it clear that the best fighter he has ever faced inside the Octagon is former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. The pair locked horns at UFC 305, and the champion won the fight via a submission in the fourth round. Although he managed to win the fight, the 31-year-old holds massive respect for ‘Izzy’ and said, “My toughest opponent to date. Well, that’s a very open-ended question because there were fights that were the hardest for me. I have to say, probably Adesanya was the best guy I faced in his specific area. Probably the fight I was the most nervous for, just in terms of how good he is. He can catch you with anything, anytime. I think he is the best guy I’ve faced.” 

However, he then gave the title of the toughest opponent and put Sean Strickland in that category. He said, “But then when you just go on pure toughness, you have to go with either Brad Tavares or Sean Strickland. Just the amount of damage they were able to take and just keep going.” Well, at the moment, the champion is all focused on the upcoming clash, and so are the fans. Since the fight has been announced, experts have started making predictions about the winner. Now, Brazilian fighter Caio Borralho has also come up and shared his honest take on the whole.

Khamzat Chimaev is the favorite against Dricus Du Plessis feels Caio Borralho

Dricus Du Plessis is brimming with confidence ahead of his highly anticipated title defense against Khamzat Chimaev. The reigning middleweight champion has made it clear that he’s not just prepared for the challenge. He is also planning to shut down Chimaev’s most dangerous asset: his world-class wrestling. But things might not be as easy as revealed by the champion. Middleweight contender Caio Borralho feels the night might be short for the champion. The leader of the Fighting Nerds, Caio Borralho, made it clear that he has nothing but respect for Dricus Du Plessis.

He acknowledged that ‘Stillknocks’ has consistently proven himself as a legitimate force in the middleweight division. However, when it comes to game-planning for Khamzat Chimaev, Borralho noted that it’s never straightforward. The unpredictability and pressure Chimaev brings make him a unique challenge. Borralho leaned slightly in favor of the Chechen-born contender, believing that his relentless style could once again make the difference on fight night.

While speaking to MMA Crazy, the Brazilian fighter said, “I think it could be as fast as the Whittaker fight. Because people don’t prepare well to fight Khamzat. They think it’s just about training against wrestlers. It’s not about that. So let’s see what kind of preparation Dricus is going to do for this fight. But every time that I bet against Dricus, he shuts my mouth.” It’s clear that Khamzat Chimaev has his fair share of believers heading into this title fight, with many confident he’ll be the one to dethrone Dricus du Plessis. But the South African champion isn’t losing any sleep over the hype. After all, he’s already taken out three former titleholders on his path to the top. Who do you think will win between the two? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.