Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping voiced his astonishment regarding the betting odds for Dricus du Plessis`s upcoming title defense, where the champion is currently listed as the underdog.
Du Plessis is scheduled for his third defense of the middleweight crown against the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319, taking place on August 16th at the United Center in Chicago. Despite du Plessis`s impressive recent victories over top contenders like Robert Whittaker, Israel Adesanya, and Sean Strickland, he is presently a +150 underdog according to FanDuel, while Chimaev is favored at -194.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Bisping questioned the oddsmakers` assessment, emphasizing du Plessis`s track record in high-pressure fights and highlighting Chimaev`s known tendency to show signs of fatigue as fights extend into later rounds.
“The fact that they’ve got Dricus du Plessis as the underdog is insane,” Bisping stated. “The man can wrestle, he’s got great jiu-jitsu, he’s big for the weight class, and more importantly, he has a gas tank. He has had no problems going five rounds.”
He continued, referencing Chimaev`s previous decision victories: “The two times Khamzat went to a decision was when he couldn’t get the finish in the first or second round. That’s when Gilbert Burns started to take over. That’s when Kamaru Usman had a lot of success and settled the score and it almost came out as a draw. And now it’s not three rounds, it’s five rounds. The way that Khamzat Chimaev fights is the way that he fights. He ain’t going to change. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Chimaev holds a perfect 14-0 professional record, though his bouts against Burns and former welterweight king Kamaru Usman were highly competitive. He is widely recognized for his explosive early finishes, with five of his eight UFC appearances ending in the first round, alongside periods of significant inactivity.
Bisping acknowledged Chimaev`s undeniable achievements but proposed that perhaps an earlier career loss might have provided valuable lessons for his development.
“When you lose fights, you say, ‘Well, I never really lost. It was a chance to learn,’” Bisping remarked. “And that is true. When you do lose, you address some things. You address your preparation. You address your weight cut. You address your diet. You address all kinds of stuff you might have been doing wrong, and one of those things might be addressing the fact that I don’t pace myself. As I said, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Concluding his thoughts on the anticipated matchup, Bisping predicted Chimaev`s aggressive approach but highlighted the potential outcome if the fight goes into the championship rounds. “He’s going to go full steam ahead. Khamzat Chimaev is going to go right at him… But if he doesn’t get him out of there in the first round or the second round and he’s starting to gas come Round 3, and Round 4 and Round 5 he is looking to be anywhere else but in the middle of the octagon… Dricus du Plessis is going to take over, and that man is a big, powerful son of a bitch and he is a finisher as well.”
