UFC 319’s main event turned out to be an eye-opening experience for Dricus Du Plessis. The former middleweight champion was dominated from start to finish by Khamzat Chimaev, losing his title in one of the most one-sided championship fights in UFC history. The numbers tell the story of Chimaev’s dominance. Over five rounds, he logged an incredible 21 minutes and 40 seconds of control time, scored 12 takedowns, secured three crucifix positions, and threw a staggering 529 total strikes, though only 37 were counted as significant.
Du Plessis had no answers for the Chechen’s relentless offense, and all three judges scored the fight 50-44 in Chimaev’s favor. And according to Joe Rogan, this matchup will always go the same way, no matter how many times Du Plessis tries.
Joe Rogan Says Dricus Du Plessis May Never Reclaim the Middleweight Title If Khamzat Chimaev Holds On
A week after UFC 319 in Chicago, Du Plessis took to Instagram and promised fans he would come back stronger than ever. Even coach Morne Visser said the team would focus on fixing the gaps in DDP’s game to better prepare for Chimaev’s wrestling. But Rogan isn’t convinced.
The longtime UFC commentator believes Du Plessis has no path back to the middleweight title unless someone else dethrones Chimaev first. The reason, Rogan explained, is simple: the skill gap between the two, especially on the ground, is far too wide.
During the #2384 segment of The Joe Rogan Experience with UFC Hall of Famer Mark Kerr, Rogan reflected on Chimaev’s dominance at UFC 319.
He explained, “It’s nuts, because a lot of people thought it was boring because it went to a decision. But you’ve got to kind of appreciate that level of dominance against a world champion. It’s kind of crazy.”
Rogan also gave Du Plessis credit for his run as champion, reminding fans of the names he beat on his way to the top. For the unversed, Du Plessis came to Chicago with two title defenses under his name and wins over the likes of Robert Whittaker, Israel Adesanya, and Sean Strickland twice.
He said, “Before the fight, Dricus was being looked at as one of the greatest middleweights of all time. Look at what he did to all these guys. He knocks out Robert Whittaker, he beats (Israel) Adesanya, he f**king beats Sean Strickland twice, and it’s like. Oh my God, he might be one of the greatest of all time.”
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Joe Rogan & Mark Kerr on Khamzat vs Dricus🐺🦁
Mark Kerr: “I texted my son — this is what an elite wrestler can do to a professional fighter.”
Joe Rogan: “After that fight, I don’t think DDP will ever beat Khamzat… there’s not enough time in the world to bridge that gap.”… pic.twitter.com/tlrIg6eoYJ
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) September 26, 2025
Still, the Chimaev fight completely changed Rogan’s perspective. He admitted the one-sided loss left him with no faith in DDP’s chances of ever turning the tables.
He concluded with, “And then after that fight, you’re like, ‘I don’t think he’s ever going to beat that guy.’ I don’t think he’s ever going to beat that guy. I don’t think there’s enough time in the world to bridge that gap.”
Even after UFC 319, Rogan maintained that the oddsmakers had it right, pointing out that Chimaev was a heavy favorite despite being the challenger. He noted that for Du Plessis to bounce back from such a loss and close the gap with Chimaev would be an enormous challenge.
Rogan also discussed the possibility of a rematch with grappling legend Gordon Ryan on his podcast a few days ago. Ryan explained that even if he trained with Du Plessis seven days a week for an entire year, focusing solely on grappling, that would be the bare minimum needed to be competitive with Chimaev on the ground.
Considering all aspects of MMA, this highlights just how daunting a task lies ahead for the South African if he hopes to reclaim the middleweight title. It’s still unclear who Du Plessis will face in his first fight since losing the title.
As for Chimaev, he recently hinted at fight news, and potential challengers are already lining up. Nassourdine Imavov is one option who defeated Caio Borralho at UFC Paris to stake his claim. Meanwhile, former two-division ONE FC champion Reinier de Ridder could also enter the mix if he gets past Brendan Allen in the UFC Vancouver main event on October 18.
