UFC 317 on June 25, during International Fight Week, was expected to be headlined by a middleweight title bout between champion Dricus Du Plessis (23-2) and the undefeated Khamzat Chamaev (14-0). That has reportedly changed.
Veteran reporter Kevin Iole reported that Du Plessis is injured and the fight card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will have to find a new main event.
“I’m hearing Dricus Du Plessis is injured, and though there has been no confirmation, if that’s accurate, a bout between Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev couldn’t headline IFW,” Iole wrote on his website.
Du Plessis won the 185-pound championship in January 2024 defeating Sean Strickland at UFC 297 via split decision. He defended the title against former two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 before defeating Strickland in a rematch at UFC 312. The South African’s last four wins have been over former champions. The last Du Plessis tasted defeat was in October 2018.
Chimaev walked through former champion Robert Whittaker in his last fight at UFC 308 in October. Before his rematch with Strickland, Du Plessis wanted to face Chimaev but the fight promotion opted to book the rematch with “Tarzan” instead.
The UFC has not commented about Du Plessis’ reported injury.
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