The excitement surrounding Khamzat Chimaev vs. Dricus du Plessis has recently waned, with injury rumors confusing the UFC world. Veteran journalist Kevin Iole’s brief remark of a likely “knock” to Du Plessis drove fans into a frenzy, with wild speculation that he had broken his shin. Questions arose regarding whether the fight would be scrapped entirely or if UFC 317 would require a new main event.

In the midst of the confusion, many people waited for the UFC or Dana White to provide some answers. Well, he surely did, but not before presenting a mixed bag of news that has everyone buzzing. In fact, he decided to reveal the fates of two massive fights. So, what did he say?

Dana White discussed the topic at the UFC on ESPN: Machado Garry vs Prates post-event press conference. The UFC CEO announced that Chimaev vs. Du Plessis will take place, but not in the way fans had expected. “Well, we all know that fight’s happening. DDP vs Khamzat fight. It’s happening. That fight’s done. It’s not happening now,” the head honcho of the biggest MMA promotion in the world stated. While it’s reassuring to learn that the blockbuster fight is still on, the fact that it’s being pushed back is something that will definitely disappoint many fans.

Meanwhile, UFC’s International Fight Week may feature another massive main event to compensate for the change. Ilia Topuria, who just surrendered his featherweight title in pursuit of higher aspirations, looks set to challenge for the lightweight championship. Though Dana White did not formally confirm the match against Islam Makhachev, he couldn’t contain his excitement. His “We’ll see how it plays out” remark with a big smile implied that the ‘La Leyenda’ vs. Makhachev showdown is closer than ever before.

All eyes are now focused on UFC 317, as we will finally find out which of the two biggest fights of the year will end up main eventing the grand event. But for now, it looks like Khamzat Chimaev and ‘Stillknocks’ will face off later, but Topuria’s chance at two-division greatness could electrify International Fight Week in the meantime.

With Dana White teasing huge announcements, fans can expect a chaotic summer filled with high-stakes action and dream matchups for sure. However, it is worth noting that not just Dana White, but even the South-African fighter’s coach earlier stated before the UFC head honcho’s latest statement that DDP might not be a part of the UFC 317 line-up as everyone believed.

Dana White’s latest statement backs what Dricus Du Plessis’s coach claimed earlier

In the midst of all the intrigue surrounding Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev’s highly anticipated fight, Dana White’s latest statements help us better comprehend the situation. While rumors of Du Plessis’ potential injury raised concerns about whether the fight would go forward as planned, the head honcho’s statement affirms that the fight is still on, but with a significant adjustment in timing. The showdown is far from over; it’s simply a matter of when it will take place. This clarification from the UFC CEO confirms what Morne Visser, Du Plessis’ coach, has been stating all along.

Despite the confusion caused by injury rumors, Visser and Du Plessis insisted that there was no injury to worry about and that the fight with Chimaev was always planned. Visser shut down the rumors, stating clearly that, while the contract had not yet been signed, plans were always in place for this to happen in the near future. As Visser acknowledged, the issue was not Du Plessis’ fitness, but rather the UFC’s plan of focusing on various matchups for UFC 317, postponing the highly anticipated fight to a later date.

He told Submission Radio, “We haven’t signed a contract so the fight was never confirmed.” The coach further added, “We were talking about it but no injuries, man, that’s bulls—. We’re fighting Khamzat Chimaev, we are actually waiting for the contract so it’s going to be soon. Definitely not going to be International Fight Week, they’ve got something else planned for that.”

While this change in scheduling may be disappointing for fans hoping to attend the fight during International Fight Week, it might also be a good thing. With more time for both fighters to develop their stories and a wider gap to heighten suspense, the eventual showdown between ‘Stillknocks’ and ‘Borz’ might be even more spectacular. While this fight may not take place at UFC 317, when it does, the stakes will undoubtedly be higher, and the buildup will be unmatched. What do you think? Who will win the fight? Let us know in the comments.