Outside Source
Dricus Du Plessis didn’t have much fun on Saturday night. | Getty/UFC
Dricus Du Plessis simply had no answers for Khamzat Chimaev’s wrestling.
The South African’s middleweight championship reign ended in lopsided fashion at UFC 319, as Du Plessis was grounded repeatedly in a unanimous decision defeat at the United Center in Chicago on Saturday night. Du Plessis did his best to explain Chimaev’s dominance in a post-fight interview.
“The man has incredible control on the top. He was just like a blanket,” Du Plessis said. It wasn’t a matter of strength, it wasn’t that physical, it was just almost as if he knew what your next move was going to be. He got it without using too much power and I had to decide am I going to be on my back or have him on my back? At the end, I went for it, had the back, I could almost taste that victory.”
Du Plessis Vows to Regain UFC Title
Du Plessis did have a brief moment of life in the final frame, when he denied a takedown and threatened with a rear-naked choke. That hope was only fleeting, however, as Chimaev escaped the maneuver and sealed his victory. Ultimately, Du Plessis could do little more than tip his cap to his opponent.
“But big ups to Khamzat, he deserves this, 100 percent,” Du Plessis said. “He beat me fair and square tonight, he was the better man tonight, and I’ll be back. I’m coming to get my belt back. For now, it’s his and he deserves it.”
Prior to UFC 319, Du Plessis had been victorious in 11 consecutive professional outings, a run that included victories over the likes of Sean Strickland (twice), Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. His last defeat occurred on Oct. 6, 2018, when he suffered a third-round KO to Roberto Soldic at KSW 45.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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