UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis has addressed recent speculation regarding his health and future fight schedule.
Rumors began circulating this week about a potential injury to the champion. This led prospective title challengers, such as Khamzat Chimaev and Caio Borralho, to publicly question du Plessis` availability to defend his belt. Du Plessis responded to these claims via a statement posted on social media Thursday.
In his statement, du Plessis dismissed the various “opinions and rumors and stories” circulating, specifically mentioning talks of a broken shin, stating he found them “very entertaining, unfortunately none of it is true.” He confirmed that he and the UFC organization have already discussed potential fight dates and opponents.
Du Plessis also refuted the notion that he had pulled out of a fight scheduled for June, clarifying, “the June fight was never signed I did not pull out of any fight.” He asserted his champion status, directing potential contenders, “I know when I fight you as a contender just show up when we tell you to.” He concluded his message by stating, “Fight announcement coming soon stay tuned.”
While du Plessis did not provide a specific date for his next title defense announcement or the fight itself, he indicated his intention to return to the octagon in 2025.
The South African fighter most recently defended his title with a unanimous decision win over Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in February. This followed his initial championship victory against Israel Adesanya at UFC 293. Du Plessis currently holds a professional record of 23-2 and remains undefeated in his nine appearances in the UFC.
It is widely anticipated that the next opportunity to challenge du Plessis will go to either the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev or Caio Borralho. Chimaev holds a perfect 14-0 professional record with numerous finishes, while Borralho is on an impressive 17-fight unbeaten run, including a 7-0 record within the UFC.
