Dricus Du Plessis Talks UFC Comeback: Fight Return, Training Updates, and Future Plans

• Former champion Dricus Du Plessis broke his silence on his return to the UFC middleweight division after losing his title in 2025
• The South African fighter has been refining his skills and targeting top-ranked opponents for a fast comeback.
• Speculation in recent days has mounted over his next fight as he eyes a championship-path matchup in early 2026

Former UFC champion and South African MMA star Dricus Du Plessis, who lost his middleweight title in August 2025, has spoken out about his plans to reclaim the belt in the new year.

Du Plessis suffered a tough defeat to the formidable Russian Khamzat Chimaev in Chicago, a fight that highlighted his need to strengthen his wrestling skills. Since that setback, the South African fighter has been focused on improving his game, aiming for a strong return to the Octagon.

In the aftermath, Du Plessis’s coach, Morne Visser, confirmed that the fighter would not be rushing into another bout. Instead, the team is concentrating on refining the skills that Chimaev exploited, particularly grappling and takedown defence.

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Speculation has been rife regarding his next opponent, with unconfirmed reports suggesting unbeaten Brendan Allen as a possible contender. In a recent interview with Fight Forecast, Du Plessis addressed the much-anticipated comeback.

"Right now, you don’t have anybody who’s consistently winning. That’s the problem. How do you pick a contender? The consistency isn’t there. I spoke to the UFC the first quarter of next year would be ideal. End of March, beginning of April, perfect," he said.

Du Plessis’s road to redemption

Before his loss to Chimaev, Du Plessis had notable victories over Sean Strickland in February 2025 and Israel Adesanya in 2024. Over the years, he has consistently faced elite competition in the middleweight division, defeating former champions Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, and Strickland twice. These wins cemented his status as one of the premier middleweights of his generation.

In an interview with Betway South Africa in August, Du Plessis described Adesanya as the best opponent he has ever faced.

Du Plessis focused on championship-path fights

Du Plessis made it clear he is not interested in hype or money fights. His sole aim is matchups that will fast-track his return to the title. While he acknowledged that the UFC may have other plans, he questioned the logic of fighting someone on a two-fight win streak.

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"I don’t care who the opponent is, as long as it helps me get back to my belt," he stated.

Although his next opponent is yet to be officially announced, expectations are high that Du Plessis could face another top-5 middleweight contender as he positions himself for a shot at reclaiming the championship in 2026.

Dricus speaks out after defeat

Briefly News previously reported that South African UFC Middleweight fighter Dricus du Plessis reacted to his bruising defeat at the hands of the UAE’s Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in Chicago.

“Stillknocks,” who came into this fight as the underdog, put on a brave face despite the one-sided fight and vowed to bounce back.

Source: Briefly News