Daniel Cormier Questions Dricus Du Plessis’ Prep in Light of UFC 319 Title Loss to Khamzat Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev earned a resounding victory over Dricus Du Plessis over the weekend’s UFC 319 PPV main event. Understandably, much of the attention is on Chimaev after winning the UFC middleweight crown. The Chechen phenom did what he set out to do in front of an announced footfall of 20,023 and didn’t let the gold return to South Africa.

‘Borz’ was able to prove he can sustain his cardio for the long haul and even punctuated a single-fight record of 529 strikes en route to a win. In his reaction video after the fight, UFC play-by-play and ESPN co-host/fight analyst Daniel Cormier lauded what he saw in Khamzat Chimaev’s dominance.

But ‘DC’ raised some pointers about Team Dricus Du Plessis and their prep for this fight, which he thinks is getting swept under the rug, with praises for the champ.

It was very impressive by Chimaev. If I’m being honest, though, …it was a little disappointing on the side of Du Plessis. [That’s] because he knew the challenge. I don’t know if they prepared the right way for the challenge…You know when you’re fighting Chimaev, you’ve got to be able to get up if taken down, and you’ve got to make the takedowns hard. He wasn’t able to do either of those things tonight.

Daniel Cormier on his Official YT Channel (@DC_MMA)

Perhaps like many, the defending champ went into thinking Chimaev would rush his double-leg TDs, chain on some combos, and gas out easy. DDP prepped his camp. wrestling/anti-wrestling in hopes of surviving the onslaught, which is part of his fighting style as well.

‘Stillknocks’ is now the champ with the lowest logged TD defense stats [34] in UFC history. He beat Matt Serra at 38%. But Chimaev showcased a more advanced cardio as promised, and Dricus Du Plessis could never get to beyond surviving it. Not in a manner that Gilbert Burns or Kamaru Usman did when they fought Borz early on.

Before UFC 294, Chimaev had incorporated training techniques from Team Tiger Muay Thai (TMT) for fluid striking and coupled it well with his cardio. This time, the Team Allstars Training Center extended that cardio to last longer in the frame, and it worked. Burns, Usman, and DDP are the only fighters he didn’t finish but this was one of the most dominant turnovers from a title challenger.

Daniel Cormier has advise for fighters to prep for the dangerous Khamzat Chimaev challenge

Chimaev executed a total of 12 takedowns, which is the second-highest number in a UFC middleweight bout and is also tied for third place among title fights since 2015. He also outworked with volume and a gargantuan control time of 21:40. These were further coupled with six slicers and 37 significant strikes that made any impact. And yet, it’s not just about the UFC 319: Du Plessis vs. Chimaev PPV headliner.

Thing is, though, Khamzat Chimaev mostly operates at this pace, not just for a PPV title fight. The Chechen fighter’s pressure is hard to handle. Cormier is a former UFC two-weight champ, X2 Olympic wrestler, and StrikeForce HW Grand Prix winner. He was also an NCAA Division I national finalist and 2003 Pan American medalist.

As one of the greats, Cormier knows the value of starting to learn early; case in point – Khamzat Chimaev himself started wrestling long before reaching his teens, and the results speak for themselves. Hence, while critical of Dricus Du Plessis’ turnout, Cormeir agreed that Chimaev is tough to answer. He thinks that if someone wants to fight at this echelon of the competition, one has to start really early.

All these guys should be running to the wrestling room right now. Getting with a coach that can prepare them for the wrestling exchanges, cos the controls that Chimaev uses… [like] the wrist fighting he has, the hand fighting, the forward pressure, these are all things that you learn in the wrestling room as kids…don’t know if one training camp is going to be enough [now] to help you close the gap because Chimaev is so good in those areas.

Daniel Cormier further said in his UFC 319 recap video

In his UFC 319 recap video, Cormier proffered counsel to the leading UFC middleweights, suggesting they prep for Chimaev’s style now and not 7/8 weeks away, in camp. A few names are blossoming out to seize their spot as top contenders.

Ex-ONE FC Champ and new signee Reinier de Ridder is a current dark horse predicted to have those needed skills. The Dutch grappling ace can change levels and shoot for single or double legs, chain up combos while hunting below the torso, and do it as much fluidly. He can also answer in servicable grapples well. So, only time will tell if RDR can come near to staking his claim on Chimaev’s gold.

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