Dricus du Plessis targets UFC middleweight title return before making bold light heavyweight championship claim

Dricus du Plessis (via Getty)

Dricus du Plessis has revealed his plans to reclaim the UFC middleweight championship before moving up to light heavyweight. The former champion believes he has what it takes to become a titleholder in the 205-pound division as well.Du Plessis wants to return to the top at 185 pounds first. However, he is already looking beyond middleweight and is confident that his size and skills will help him succeed against bigger opponents.

DricusDu Plessis has made his intentions clear as he looks to rebuild his position in the UFC. The South African lost his middleweight championship to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in August 2025. Chimaev secured a unanimous decision victory to take the title away from the former champion.“I want to get my belt back and eventually go up to 205 and go test myself there. And I’m certain that I’ll be a champion. I’m big enough for that division, and I’m certain I can be champion at that division as well”, he said.

The defeat ended Du Plessis’ reign at the top of the 185-pound division. However, he has continued to pursue his goal of becoming champion again.The South African returned to winning ways in July 2026. He defeated former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 281.

The victory gave Du Plessis an important result as he continued his journey back towards the middleweight title picture.Despite his ambitions at light heavyweight, Du Plessis does not want to rush into a new division. His immediate priority remains reclaiming the belt at 185 pounds. He wants to establish himself as the best middleweight again before testing his abilities against larger opponents.A move to light heavyweight would present a different challenge. Fighters in the division compete at a maximum weight limit of 205 pounds. The additional size and strength could make the transition difficult, but Du Plessis believes he has the physical attributes required to compete at that level.His confidence also suggests that he would not move up simply to experience another weight class. He wants to compete for the championship and prove that he can succeed against elite opponents in a second division.

Du Plessis previously established himself as one of the leading fighters at 185 pounds before losing his title to Chimaev. Reclaiming the championship would be an important step towards fulfilling his longer-term ambitions.His plan is straightforward. He wants to regain the middleweight belt, prove himself at the top of the division and then move up to 205 pounds.Du Plessis is confident that his size and abilities will allow him to become a light heavyweight champion too. However, he must first overcome the challenges ahead at middleweight before turning that ambitious goal into reality.