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UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis looks to defend the belt against Khamzat Chimaev, but that title defense won’t be coming at UFC 317.
Morne Visser, Du Plessis’ coach, says that the fight between the two is a done deal, as they are just waiting for the contracts to be signed.
"We haven't signed a contract, and the fight was never confirmed," Visser told Submission Radio (transcript via Farah Hannoun of MMA Junkie). "(Du Plessis has) no injuries man – that's bullsh*t. We're fighting Khamzat. We're actually waiting for the contract, so it's going to be soon. Definitely not going to be International Fight Week – they've got something else planned for that. I'm sure everybody knows about what they've got planned – also not 100 percent confirmed. But we're fighting Khamzat, we're waiting for the contract, so it's a done deal."
If the fight does come to fruition, it would be Du Plessis’ second title defense and Chimaev’s first crack at UFC gold.
Visser believes the highly anticipated title bout will be happening either in August of September.
"We'll most probably get a contract from the UFC within the next two weeks," Visser said. "It will be most probably be announced in the next two weeks. I'm not sure about dates or location, but as soon as maybe August, just around the corner. I mean, we were supposed to fight him in June. That was the talks. So, August? Yeah. Eight weeks later, maybe September. We'd like to fight him in the U.A.E. I think he's got a massive fanbase there, and it will be nice to really slam him and slap him on the floor in front of his people."
