What’s Next for Dricus du Plessis After Losing His Belt?

Dricus du Plessis’ brief reign as UFC middleweight champion came to an end at UFC 319 in Chicago, where Khamzat Chimaev dominated over five rounds to claim the middleweight title. Chimaev’s relentless wrestling and suffocating top control neutralized du Plessis’ striking, resulting in a lopsided unanimous decision win on August 16, 2025. For du Plessis, dropping the belt wasn’t about effort or toughness; it came down to being caught in a matchup where one mistake against an elite wrestler left him stuck on defense for most of the night.

Heading into the bout, oddsmakers had little faith in du Plessis’ chances of retaining his title. He entered UFC 319 as a clear underdog, with lines across the best USA sportsbooks placing him between +198 and +220 on fight day. Those platforms, which many fans used to track live shifts in the odds, offered a clear picture of just how steep the challenge against Chimaev was. These platforms only reinforced the narrative that du Plessis was walking into the Octagon with the deck stacked firmly against him.

So, where does the South African standout go from here?. His coach, Morne Visser of CIT Performance Institute, told the media that du Plessis needs just 12 to 16 weeks to sharpen his wrestling defense before jumping into a full camp. If everything goes to plan, the former champion could be back in the Octagon by early 2026. For a fighter known for his durability, conditioning, and aggressive approach, that timeline feels both realistic and encouraging.

When he does come back, timing will matter. The middleweight division is buzzing right now with contenders all trying to break through, and every matchup at the top feels like it could shift the picture overnight. Nassourdine Imavov, Reinier de Ridder, and Anthony Hernandez are all in the mix. At the same time, Chimaev is expected to defend his new title against another top name, possibly the winner of Imavov vs. Caio Borralho at UFC Paris later this year. That leaves du Plessis in an interesting spot: highly ranked, but forced to wait for the division to shake out, which could influence the opponent he gets upon his comeback.

Even with the loss, du Plessis is still sitting near the top of the rankings, and he hasn’t lost the backing of fans or his peers. Many observers noted that, despite a rough stylistic matchup against Chimaev, he demonstrated remarkable grit by surviving five rounds without being submitted or stopped. Belal Muhammad pointed out that du Plessis played it safe too often during scrambles, but other fighters and analysts felt his calm under pressure and resilience could make a difference if he were to face Chimaev again.

For now, du Plessis is focused on tightening his game and getting back to full strength before his next fight. Shoring up his wrestling defense will be the top priority, followed by reestablishing himself with a big-name fight. Whether it’s a contender like Hernandez or a high-profile rematch with Robert Whittaker, du Plessis’ next opponent will go a long way in determining if he can make another run at the throne. And with his ranking and reputation intact, he’ll likely be just one or two big wins away from being back in the title conversation.