Dricus Du Plessis Trolls Khamzat Chimaev Over Prominent Lip Scar After Boxing Up a Giant Shark
Fresh off his thrilling title win against Israel Adesanya, Dricus Du Plessis is enjoying a well-deserved break ahead of his next Middleweight title defense at UFC 312 against Sean Strickland. But that doesn’t mean the South African fighter is slacking on the intense training, even leveraging some unconventional methods.
Shark Training with a Touch of Venomous Rivalry
Du Plessis recently took to Instagram, showcasing a series of photos wrestling a massive shark off the coast of South Africa. In one of his captions, he cheekily remarked, “Brought in some new training partners for camp, this one didn’t make the cut.”
When a fan jokingly suggested he avoid kissing the shark, Du Plessis couldn’t resist a playful jab at his arch-rival, Khamzat Chimaev, and his infamous scar.
His response? “No way,” wrote Du Plessis, “That’s what Khamzat tried and look how that turned out.”
The Ongoing Chimaev Chase
Du Plessis has made no secret of his desire to face Chimaev in the octagon, even suggesting in a previous interview that their match had been seriously considered for UFC 312 instead of the Strickland matchup.
“I think most people wanted to see that Khamzat fight, myself included… Everyone now says they wanted the Khamzat fight but the same fans were the ones that called for the Strickland rematch up until Khamzat had the performance against Rob [Whittaker],” Du Plessis stated.
“[A fight against Khamzat] was on the table for sure, but you know, we talked about it. It wasn’t from my side or from his side where the fight didn’t happen, I think there was some issues with the UFC and Khamzat, I’m not sure, and timing, I think timing played a big role, but there were conversations.”
With Chimaev currently ranked #3 and on a winning streak, a clash between these two powerhouses seems inevitable.
The Story Behind Khamzat’s Scar
While Du Plessis brought some fun to the shark story, Chimaev’s scar has a more serious origin. In a previous interview, the Dagestani fighter revealed that he sustained the wound at just two years old.
“My mom told me this, but I don’t remember myself, I was two years old, and we had a big staircase in our house, and I fell down [them] onto the concrete,” Chimaev explained.
“I had a ripped lip; a couple of my teeth were knocked out and I also broke my nose,” he shared, adding that he “still can’t breathe from my right nostril,” to this day.
The animosity between these two fighters is undeniable, and their paths seem destined to cross in the octagon. Who do you think will emerge victorious? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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