Dricus du Plessis issues brutal two-word reaction to Islam Makhachev's middleweight aspirations

Dricus du Plessis provided a two-word reference to Khabib Nurmagomedov when asked about Islam Makhachev wanting to fight at middleweight.

Earlier this month, Makhachev extended his UFC lightweight title reign with a first-round submission against short-notice opponent Renato Moicano. Following his fourth successful defense, the number one-ranked pound-for-pound UFC fighter is eyeing a second title.

Makhachev planned to move up to welterweight, where his friend and occasional training partner Belal Muhammad is the champion. Instead, the Russian powerhouse has expressed his interest in skipping a weight class and fighting at middleweight to avoid a conflict with Muhammad.

During an interview with Shakiel Mahjouri of CBS Sports, middleweight king Dricus du Plessis was asked for a one-word reaction to Makhachev wanting to challenge him for the 185-pound title. Du Plessis responded by saying:

"Almost Khabib"

Islam Makhachev has claimed his ultimate goal is to become a two-division UFC champion. It's unclear if Dana White and the promotion will grant him the opportunity this year, as several intriguing matchups remain at lightweight, including Max Holloway, Justin Gaethje, and rematches against Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan.

Watch Du Plessis' two-word reaction starting at 14:01 below:

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Dricus du Plessis claimed he would "overpower" Islam Makahchev in a potential fight

Dricus du Plessis has done a phenomenal job asserting his dominance against world-class middleweight fighters like Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.

As a result, Du Plessis remains confident in his ability to defeat Islam Makhachev at 185 pounds, which he explained by saying this during an interview with Fox Sports Australia:

"Look, he trains with 185ers in his gym, but there is only one world champion. So, kudos to him for saying what he did, but it doesn’t really matter because I’ll overpower him in any situation. I know he walks around heavy, but I walk around heavy. He’s a big lightweight, I’m a big middleweight. There’s a big difference there."

Dricus du Plessis is focused on his upcoming middleweight title defense, a rematch against Sean Strickland in the UFC 312 main event on February 8. Du Plessis won the first meeting by split decision and now looks to make a statement with a more definitive win.