TLDR
- Brendan Allen claims Dricus Du Plessis only talks trash about him on social media after Allen loses fights
- Allen ranks No. 5 at middleweight and believes a fight with No. 1 ranked Du Plessis makes sense based on rankings
- Du Plessis lost his UFC middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev in August by unanimous decision
- Allen recently beat Reinier de Ridder in October and wants to stay active with a fight in March or April
- Allen says Du Plessis is making excuses and ducking the fight despite their ongoing beef
Brendan Allen is calling out former UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis to stop talking on social media and accept a fight. The No. 5 ranked contender has been pushing for this matchup for months.
Allen holds a record of 26-7 in MMA with 14 wins inside the UFC. He believes the fight makes logical sense given their positions in the rankings. Du Plessis currently sits at No. 1 in the middleweight division.
The tension between the two fighters goes beyond just rankings. Allen told MMA Junkie Radio that Du Plessis only speaks about him publicly when Allen loses fights. When Allen wins, he says Du Plessis stays quiet.
Dricus du Plessis REALLY does not like Brendan Allen 👀
📰 https://t.co/Y7Rejt0ued pic.twitter.com/ut4q9vAiQR
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) December 5, 2025
“He only has to say something about me when I’m losing,” Allen said. “When I’m winning, he’s as silent as a church mouse.”
Du Plessis lost his middleweight title in August to Khamzat Chimaev. The fight ended in a unanimous decision loss for the South African fighter. Du Plessis held a 23-3 record and had won 11 straight fights before the loss.
Allen pointed out that Du Plessis was dominated in that championship fight. He says someone at that level should always fight back no matter the circumstances. The loss ended Du Plessis’s reign as champion after just one title defense.
Recent Activity in the Division
Allen most recently defeated former ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder in October. Before that win, he snapped a two-fight losing streak by beating Marvin Vettori. Allen wants to keep fighting regularly and hopes to book another bout by late March or early April.
The middleweight division faces several scheduling questions right now. Champion Khamzat Chimaev is expected to face Nassourdine Imavov next. However, Chimaev has struggled with activity throughout his career due to various issues.
Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez are scheduled to fight on February 21 in Houston. This bout removes two contenders from immediate title consideration. Allen believes this leaves him and Du Plessis as the logical matchup.
Allen Questions Du Plessis’s Willingness
Allen expressed frustration with the delay in booking the fight. He thinks Du Plessis is making excuses to avoid the matchup. Allen has defended his ranking position multiple times and is willing to do it again.
“It really just seems like it’s him ducking and making excuses,” Allen stated. He said he will continue defending his spot in the rankings if Du Plessis refuses the fight.
Brendan Allen wants Dricus Du Plessis to 'man up,' stop 'ducking' (via @thegoze, @MMAJunkieGeorge) https://t.co/Y8WhgxExDA
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) December 10, 2025
The UFC has not announced any plans to book Allen versus Du Plessis. Both fighters remain available for competition. Allen emphasized he wants to stay as active as possible while the division sorts itself out.
Du Plessis holds a 23-3 record with nine wins in the UFC. He captured the middleweight title before losing it to Chimaev. Allen is currently on a two-fight winning streak.
Allen said the division feels uncertain right now with various fighters waiting for their next opponents. He remains ready to fight Du Plessis or another available contender. The matchup would settle their verbal disputes inside the octagon.
