Dana White says UFC Champ Dricus du Plessis will fight Khamzat Chimaev after all.

Earlier this month, the middleweight title picture was put into question following reports of du Plessis sporting an injury, preventing him from defending his title.

Top contenders and former training partners Khamzat Chimaev and Caio Borralho flirted with the idea of fighting each other in the meantime before du Plessis denied rumors of any injuries.

As the UFC continues stack their summer schedule, there’s a few potential super-fights missing from the lineup such as Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria, Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall and of course, the middleweight battle of wills between du Plessis and Chimaev. 

Dana White says Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev done deal but not for UFC 317

Addressing fight rumors like he normally does, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed du Plessis vs. Chimaev is on deck, although he did rule it out for one of the biggest shows of the year at UFC 317.

“We all know that fight’s happening,” White said at the UFC Kansas City post-fight press conference.

“The du Plessis vs. Khamzat fight, it’s happening.

“It’s just not happening in International Fight Week…

“That fight’s done,” White said of du Plessis vs Chimaev.

UFC 317 on June 28 is nine weeks away and still does not have a main event lined up as of this moment. There are rumblings of a potential lightweight title fight between Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev as the main event with Topuria having begun training camp recently.

As for when we can see Chimaev vs. du Plessis, UFC 319 in August would likely be the earliest date the fight could happen as UFC 318 is headlined by Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway 3 on July 19th.

Somebody’s 0 has got to go in Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev

Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev are both undefeated in the UFC, with the champ riding a 11-fight win streak and Chimaev 14-0 as a pro. Chimaev has the chance to match du Plessis’ 9-0 UFC record with one more victory.

Despite winning a billed title eliminator against former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 294, Chimaev would have to prove himself once more for a title fight. The wrestling-heavy bogeyman brutally submitted Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 last October, dislodging his teeth with a first-round face crank.

Whittaker’s a common opponent for du Plessis with the South African stopping him and Israel Adesanya within the distance. Du Plessis also defeated the likes of Sean Strickland twice across 10 rounds of action.

The last time du Plessis fought a wrestler, he nearly lost in a burnout brawl against Derek Brunson. This was du Plessis’ final fight with a breathing impairment (deviated septum) with the do-or-die fighter finding a way to win in the end, drilling Brunson to the canvas after a cardio dump.

Chimaev has only seen the third round twice in his career, having yet to test his cardio in the championship rounds where du Plessis submitted Adesanya in their title fight at UFC 305 last August after a much-needed nose surgery.

We’ll see how good Khamzat Chimaev’s cardio is in a future fight with du Plessis, which could be announced any day now.