TLDR
- Dricus du Plessis is targeting an April 2026 return to the UFC octagon, specifically the Miami card
- Du Plessis lost his middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev in August 2025, his first UFC defeat
- The South African fighter wants an immediate rematch with Chimaev to reclaim his belt
- No contract is currently in place, though reports suggest a possible fight with Brendan Allen
- Du Plessis calls his next fight ‘the most important fight of my life’ as he works to fix mistakes from his loss
Sources: The South African | MMA Weekly | The Independent US
Former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis has revealed his plans to return to the octagon as soon as April 2026. The South African fighter is targeting the UFC’s Miami card for his comeback following his title loss last August.
Du Plessis has not competed since losing his belt to Khamzat Chimaev in August 2025. The defeat marked the first loss of his UFC career and ended an impressive 11-fight winning streak dating back to 2018.
“And like I said, I’ll be ready for April. I would love to be on that April card, that Miami card,” Du Plessis told Fight Forecast on Wednesday. “There’s no opponent yet, there’s no contract yet. We don’t have any of that, [but] whoever, let’s go.”
🚨Dricus Du Plessis is planning on fighting for the Main Event at #UFCOttawa
His Opponent is not yet known 🤩 pic.twitter.com/gx4MXy4RmB
— UFC FIFTH ROUND (@UFCFIFTHROUND) February 14, 2026
Seeking Redemption Against Chimaev
The 32-year-old Welkom-born fighter has made it clear who he wants to face next. Du Plessis is calling for an immediate rematch with Chimaev, the unbeaten Russian who dominated him in their title bout.
“I’m ready to go again and get back to my belt as soon as possible. It don’t really matter who it is,” Du Plessis stated. “I’d of course love for it to be Khamzat, and [to] redeem that loss.”
The loss to Chimaev was one of the most lopsided title bouts in UFC history. Chimaev’s relentless wrestling style proved too much for Du Plessis, who succumbed to a decision loss.
Du Plessis emphasized the importance of his upcoming fight. “But for me right now, the next fight is the most-important fight of my life, and I will win that fight – and I will get my belt back,” he added.
The former champion explained he has spent the time since his loss addressing weaknesses. “For me, we needed to fix some things, obviously, and I’ve spent some time now doing that,” Du Plessis said.
Uncertain Path Back to the Title
While Du Plessis wants an immediate rematch, the UFC has not confirmed his next opponent. Reports have emerged suggesting a possible bout with American fighter Brendan Allen in April.
Chimaev has not competed since defeating Du Plessis. Nassourdine Imavov is expected to be Chimaev’s first title defense as champion.
There is also speculation that Chimaev may move up to light-heavyweight, which could open the door for a vacant middleweight title fight. However, no official plans have been announced.
Before his loss to Chimaev, Du Plessis was on a dominant run through the middleweight division. He stopped former champion Robert Whittaker in 2023 to earn his title shot.
Du Plessis won the belt by outpointing Sean Strickland in early 2024. He then submitted former champion Israel Adesanya before defeating Strickland again via decision in early 2025.
The South African made history as the only UFC champion from his country. Many fans and experts favored him to beat Chimaev before their August bout.
At the time of publication, no contract is in place for Du Plessis’s April return. The fighter has made clear he is ready to face any opponent the UFC puts in front of him as he works his way back to the title.
