Chael Sonnen is tired of UFC fighters sharing details of their injuries.
Recently, the injury bug has reportedly impacted another yet-to-be-announced title fight. That being the clash between reigning middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev. Though nothing had been made official, rumors had been swirling that the two would tussle at UFC 317 on June 28 during the promotion’s International Fight Week.
However, that no longer appears to be the case. According to a report from Kevin Iole, Du Plessis will be unable to compete at the event due to an injury. Chimaev later commented on the situation, writing, “This guy biggest bullsh*t” on X.
Thus far, Du Plessis has not revealed details of the alleged injury, and ‘The American Gangster’ hopes it stays that way.
“Now, he did mention the outcome of a presidential election could determine his ability to travel,” Sonnen said in a video on his YouTube channel. “But since the day he mentioned that, and since we get the news right now that that fight, alleged to have been planned, goes up in smoke, nothing has ever been talked about again. I’m good with the whole thing. I’m just trying to set the stage for you guys.
So, Dricus Du Plessis, who, by the way, I really hope never tells us what’s wrong with him. Like, I am so sick of fighters using the internet as an excuse for getting out of something: ‘Here I am, look at me, I’m in a hospital bed, and therefore every claim that you’ve ever heard must be true. Hey, look, here’s an X-ray, it must be mine since I’m the one putting it on social media, and therefore I’m completely justified in pulling out of the one job that I get asked to do three times a year.’
“Like, it’s none of our business, and so far, Dricus hasn’t told us what it is. Now, as much as I hope that Dricus continues to not tell us what it is, finding out what it is has a relevancy. Because do we do an interim championship? Do we not do an interim championship?”
With ‘DDP’ Out, could we see Chimaev vs. Borralho for an interim UFC middleweight title?
The severity of Du Plessis’ injury could ultimately determine whether or not the UFC opts to introduce an interim title for Chimaev to fight for before ‘DDP’ is ready to return.
If that’s the route the promotion plans to take, one fighter has already volunteered as tribute.
“I know a guy @ufc,” No.6 ranked middleweight contender Caio Borralho wrote on X. “You know who to call.”
Borralho later added that Chimaev accepted the challenge and that their fight would be even bigger than the promotion’s original plans.
