Dricus du Plessis is gearing up for his highly anticipated middleweight title defense against Khamzat Chimaev, but the South African fighter has sparked controversy with comments about their size advantage.
Du Plessis was seen in a pre-fight meeting with Chimaev, and some have pointed to footage of the encounter as evidence that the challenger appears larger than du Plessis. However, du Plessis has denied this, saying he is not significantly smaller than Chimaev.
In an interview, du Plessis stated that the angle of the camera and other factors may have contributed to the perceived size advantage. He claimed to be within a half-inch taller than Chimaev and emphasized that height alone does not guarantee success in mixed martial arts.
Du Plessis’ confidence about beating Chimaev has been evident for months, as he has repeatedly expressed his intention to make the Chechen fighter’s first experience in the octagon an unpleasant one.
Source: https://bloodyelbow.com/2025/08/13/dricus-du-plessis-addresses-size-difference-concerns-after-khamzat-chimaev-meeting-was-caught-on-camera