Overview

• Dricus du Plessis has put up a $10,000 bounty for any sparring partner who can secure a takedown in training to sharpen his defensive skills
• Khamzat Chimaev has linked up again with Arman Tsarukyan for final preparations, though Tsarukyan confirmed he will not corner him on fight night
• DraftKings lists Chimaev as a –198 favorite and Du Plessis as a +164 underdog, reflecting shifting bettor confidence
• Analyst Caio Borralho says the fight hinges on Du Plessis’s readiness for Chimaev’s wrestling-jiu-jitsu hybrid and his ability to control the early rounds
• Former UFC figures Chael Sonnen and TJ Dillashaw both warn that Chimaev must bolster his cardio to withstand Du Plessis’s late-fight pace