A Grabbing First Impression

Fight week for UFC 319 is under way. The main event pits middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis against undefeated challenger Khamzat Chimaev. A video of their first encounter went viral, with many noticing how Chimaev seemed to tower over du Plessis.

But du Plessis brushed it off. He admitted the video likely exaggerated Chimaev’s size. He said to Helen Yee, “Maybe it was the angle. I stood in front of him. He is definitely not taller than me. Maybe a little; maybe like, half an inch.”

He also cut straight to the fight reality: “I don’t give a s— how big he is. That’s not what wins fights.”

Body Language or the Camera Trick?

The clip shared by the UFC on August 12 seemed to give Chimaev a clear size advantage. He looked noticeably larger during their respectful greeting.

Fans picked up on it immediately:

“It’s a camera angle”
 “Khamzat looks huge”
 “You’re coping”

Others took a more balanced view:

“Angle is doing DDP a bit dirty… DDP is a huge guy himself. I think they’ll look somewhat even in size.”

Chimaev’s reputation may amplify that perception. Though he used to compete at welterweight, he now cuts to 185, likely going as high as 235 lb out of camp. Du Plessis, by comparison, walks around closer to 225–230 lb.

Confidence in Every Word

Du Plessis has made clear this is not his first rodeo. Months before fight week, after the matchup was confirmed, he left no doubt on Instagram: taking Chimaev into the UFC octagon would be a first-time experience, and “not a pleasant one.”

He has already defended his middleweight title twice, against Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya, and maintains an unblemished UFC record.

What This Really Means

Chimaev looked big, but the camera can cheat our eyes.

Du Plessis insists Chimaev isn’t meaningfully taller or bigger.

Size isn’t the deciding factor, he says, but technique, will, and execution are.

His confidence runs deep, not just in words but in experience.

Come August 16, at the United Center in Chicago, the real test begins. Du Plessis isn’t giving credence to optics or pundit hype. He’s focused on what matters: the fight.