Chimaev visibly slowed down in his two career decision wins over Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman. He is scheduled for his first five-round fight against Du Plessis, which is why Weidman is ultimately siding with the champion to retain his title.

The UFC middleweight championship wasn't built for Dricus du Plessis, he took it by force. That honor seemed reserved for Khamzat Chimaev, whom many deemed a future champion early on. Maybe that's why Du Plessis is a betting underdog at UFC 319 in Chicago.