Middleweight Title Fight at UFC 312 – Not Impressed by the Main Event

UFC 312, held at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, saw middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis defend his title against former champion Sean Strickland. The fight went the distance, with du Plessis winning via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46). Despite his victory, the fight was criticized for its slow pace and lack of excitement, leaving many fans and fighters unimpressed.

Elsewhere on the card, several standout performances caught the attention of the MMA community. Quillan Salkilld and Tallison Teixeira made impressive UFC debuts, both securing first-round finishes. Additionally, Zhang Weili dominated Tatiana Suarez in a five-round battle, retaining her women’s strawweight title.

Khamzat Chimaev Reacts

The highly anticipated du Plessis vs. Strickland fight played out much as analysts expected—a grueling, methodical contest that lacked explosive moments. While du Plessis outworked and outlanded Strickland, the fight did not live up to the expectations of many fans.

One of the loudest critics of the fight was none other than top contender Khamzat Chimaev. The Chechen-born Swede took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his disappointment, stating:

“Biggest bullshit is this fight ???”
— Khamzat Chimaev

Chimaev’s reaction suggests that he does not view du Plessis as a serious threat to his own title ambitions. Many believe that he sees himself as the rightful next challenger for the UFC middleweight belt.

Biggest bullshit is this fight 🥱🥱🥱

— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) February 9, 2025

Dricus du Plessis Responds

In response to Chimaev’s criticism, du Plessis fired back during his post-fight interview. The South African champion dismissed Chimaev’s comments and suggested that Chimaev should focus on securing a fight first, pointing out his struggles in finalizing bouts in both the welterweight and middleweight divisions.

“Try to get to a fight. Couldn’t get the welterweight title, definitely not getting the middleweight title. Talk about a waste of potential.”
— Dricus du Plessis

This escalating war of words has only fueled speculation about a potential showdown between du Plessis and Chimaev.

Dana White’s Comment on the Future of the Division

At the post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White addressed the middleweight title picture. While he did not make an official announcement, he reiterated that Chimaev is likely the next contender for the belt.

“Yeah, we’ll talk about it on Tuesday though.”
— Dana White

Chimaev, who remains undefeated with a 14-0 record, is coming off a dominant victory over former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 308. If the UFC follows through on its current plans, du Plessis vs. Chimaev could headline a major event in the coming months—potentially during International Fight Week.

The MMA community eagerly awaits further confirmation, as the feud between Chimaev and du Plessis continues to build.

Source: MMAnytt.se

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