Dricus Du Plessis turned down UFC light heavyweight tournament, coach says
Du Plessis' head coach, Morne Visser, says the former middleweight champion rejected a four-man 205lbs Grand Prix because the team wants the middleweight belt back first. He expects Du Plessis to return in February or March 2027.
Dricus Du Plessis rejected a UFC proposal to move up to light heavyweight for a four-man tournament, according to his head coach, Morne Visser.
Visser said the promotion approached him three weeks ago about putting the former middleweight champion into a pool with Jiri Prochazka, Magomed Ankalaev and Navajo Stirling. The winner would have earned a fight with Carlos Ulberg. Visser told Fight Forecast: “They actually asked me three weeks ago for Dricus to move up to 205lbs, they wanted us to join a pool of four fighters, Jiri (Prochazka), Dricus, Ankalaev and (Navajo) Stirling.” He described the format: “They wanted the four guys to go into a pool and fight in one night and then the winner of that fight each other and then the winner of that fight Carlos Ulberg, a bit of a Grand Prix.” Visser said he declined because the jump in weight needs time. He said it took a year to bring Du Plessis up from welterweight to middleweight, so any move to 205lbs will be gradual. He added that going up is definitely the plan, but the team first wants to regain the middleweight title and defend it once.
Du Plessis has been pushing for another shot at the 185lbs title. He has already beaten the champion, Sean Strickland, twice. Strickland is likely to defend against Nassourdine Imavov next, but no date has been set while Strickland is in a pay dispute with the UFC.
That hold-up led to talk of Du Plessis moving up. Ankalaev, a former light heavyweight champion, said he had been in negotiations with the promotion about a possible fight with him.
Visser said Du Plessis will be ready to fight again in February or March 2027. The team has asked the UFC for a fight with Imavov, even though Imavov is likely next in line for the title.
Du Plessis last fought in July, beating Kamaru Usman in his first fight since losing the title to Khamzat Chimaev.
Prochazka and Stirling are scheduled to meet on 21 November. The winner is likely to face Ulberg for the light heavyweight title.
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