Du Plessis Coach Slams Chimaev Ahead of UFC 319 Clash

Dricus Du Plessis’ head coach targets Khamzat Chimaev as they prepare for the UFC 319 middleweight title fight.

Du Plessis Coach Slams Chimaev Ahead of UFC 319 Clash

The UFC 319 main event in Chicago on August 16 pits Dricus Du Plessis against Khamzat Chimaev for the middleweight title. With the bout a week away, Du Plessis is still working to make the 185 pound limit while Chimaev has recently limited public appearances due to health concerns. The fight has drawn attention not only for the matchup but for the bodies behind it.

Du Plessis’ coach Morne Visser offered a pointed critique of Chimaev, calling him one‑dimensional and signaling a game plan built to counter his wrestling. Visser argued that Chimaev’s standup does not pose a problem and stressed that Du Plessis plans to impose his own style inside the cage. The exchange underscores a broader strategy: win by fighting on Du Plessis’ terms rather than chasing Chimaev’s unique strengths.

Trash talk surrounds this clash, but so do questions about preparation and focus. By framing the bout as a test of a flexible toolkit against a dominant wrestler, the teams are shaping fan expectations and betting narratives. The exchange also raises a potential risk: hype could eclipse the technical subtleties of how each fighter handles distance, timing and pressure. The outcome will reveal whether trash talk translates into a tangible advantage or simply adds to the spectacle around a fight that already carries high stakes for both camps.

Highlights

The cage will be the final judge of whether the talk matched the walk.