Dricus Du Plessis is tired of the noise. The UFC middleweight champion has officially shut down the swirling rumors about a supposed injury and a delayed title defense.
This week, speculation took off after reports suggested Du Plessis was dealing with a shin injury that would keep him out of a rumored UFC 317 title defense during International Fight Week. That set off a round of public callouts, most notably from Khamzat Chimaev and Caio Borralho, who both claimed the champ was ducking.
However, Du Plessis didn’t waste much time firing back. In a post to his Instagram on Thursday, he made it clear: the June fight was never signed, he’s not injured, and he didn’t pull out of anything.
“Everyone had their opinions and stories about a shin break or some injury,” he wrote. “I found it all very entertaining. Unfortunately, none of it is true. Myself and the UFC already discussed the fight date and opponent. The June fight? Never signed. I didn’t pull out of anything. I’m the champion—I know when I fight. You, as a contender, just show up when we tell you to. Fight announcement coming soon. Stay tuned.”
That’s about as direct as it gets.
Du Plessis (23-2) is fresh off a dominant win over Sean Strickland at UFC 312 this past February, where he picked up his second straight title defense after submitting Israel Adesanya. He’s undefeated in the UFC with nine straight wins and shows no signs of slowing down.
Despite no official date locked in, the next in line seems likely to be either Chimaev or Borralho. Chimaev is unbeaten at 14-0, with all but one of those wins coming via finish. Borralho isn’t far behind, riding a 17-fight unbeaten streak with a 7-0 record in the UFC. Both men are making noise, but Du Plessis made it clear he’s not responding to pressure.
The South African champion didn’t offer a specific timeline, but based on his statement, fans can expect a title fight announcement soon and it won’t be dictated by rumors, callouts, or Internet gossip. Until then, contenders can keep talking. Du Plessis will let them know when it’s time to fight.
