Colby Covington offers eye-opening prediction for potential Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev fight

Dricus du Plessis should be favored to beat Khamzat Chimaev in the pair's expected bout, at least according to UFC welterweight Colby Covington. The statement was made during his recent appearance on episode #178 of Tim Welch's Red Hawk Recap podcast.

While previewing the du Plessis vs. Chimaev middleweight title fight, Welch asked Covington for his thoughts on the matchup. Surprisingly, 'Chaos' briefly abandoned his heel persona and offered an actual analysis of the fight, picking du Plessis as the favorite.

"I think DDP gets it done. I think his unorthodox style will surprise him. I think he's strong enough to fend off the takedowns. Khamzat's never been in a five-round fight, so I think Khamzat gets beaten up."

Check out Colby Covington's prediction for Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev (17:40):

There's something to be said about Covington's prediction. Du Plessis' unorthodox style has troubled every single opponent he has faced in the UFC, and Chimaev has shown severe issues with his cardio. He gassed out at UFC 273 against Gilbert Burns, who isn't known for pushing the pace, and then again at UFC 294.

That second instance, in particular, was the worst, as Chimaev gassed out against a short-notice Kamaru Usman, who had stepped in to fight him with just days to prepare. Yet, it was Chimaev, who had a full camp, who gassed out while Usman began to take over.

To worsen matters, those cases were all in three-round fights. If Chimaev finds that du Plessis survives his early onslaught, he will have five rounds to fight.

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Dricus du Plessis has also dismissed Khamzat Chimaev's chances against him

After a shutout performance against Sean Strickland at UFC 312, Dricus du Plessis made an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, where he shared his thoughts on the fighter expected to challenge him next for his middleweight title: Khamzat Chimaev.

"People think of Khamzat as this boogeyman. That's a fact. I don't. I don't see that. For me, I only see one thing and that's the potential to do good to my legacy."

Check out Dricus du Plessis' thoughts on Khamzat Chimaev (19:34):

Chimaev himself is confident of beating du Plessis, especially coming off his dominant first-round submission of Robert Whittaker, one of the division's most skilled fighters and a former champion.