Here’s a bold statement: Dricus Du Plessis’ head coach, Morne Visser, is pointing fingers at the referee for his fighter’s crushing defeat to Khamzat Chimaev—and he’s making a daring promise for a rematch. But here’s where it gets controversial: Visser isn’t blaming Chimaev’s dominance; instead, he’s calling out veteran referee Marc Goddard for what he sees as mismanaged fight control. Could this be a case of sour grapes, or does Visser have a legitimate gripe? Let’s dive in.
Months after Dricus Du Plessis’ lopsided loss to Khamzat Chimaev in the UFC 319 main event, the sting of defeat still lingers for his camp. The fight, which took place last August, was a stark reminder of the gap between the two fighters, particularly in grappling. Since then, Du Plessis, known as ‘Stillknocks,’ has remained relatively quiet about his future in the Octagon. Rumors suggest he might switch weight classes instead of pursuing a rematch with Chimaev, a move that’s sparked debate among fans and analysts alike.
And this is the part most people miss: While Du Plessis himself has stayed under the radar, his outspoken coach, Morne Visser, is keeping the fight—and its aftermath—front and center. Visser has openly criticized Marc Goddard, claiming the referee’s decisions unfairly favored Chimaev. According to Visser, Goddard allowed Chimaev to control the fight on the ground without pushing for more action, effectively neutering Du Plessis’ strengths.
In a recent interview with Fight Forecast, Visser didn’t hold back. ‘We were not prepared for a guy who’s not willing to fight,’ he said. ‘If we knew he was gonna do that, I would’ve changed Dricus’ base—no punches, no kicks, just wrestle the guy. Dricus is good enough to do that.’ Visser argued that Goddard should have stood the fighters up multiple times, accusing him of letting Chimaev dictate the pace without consequence.
Here’s the kicker: Visser isn’t just complaining; he’s doubling down on a rematch. ‘This time around, he’s gonna get f—– up,’ Visser boldly declared. ‘Chimaev has zero chance against Dricus in the standup, zero chance in the clinch. His only chance is to keep us on the floor, so that’s the only thing we need to fix.’ But is this confidence misplaced, or is there a method to Visser’s madness?
Meanwhile, Chimaev’s next title defense is likely against Nassourdine Imavov, leaving Du Plessis in a tricky position. To get back into title contention, he’ll need a statement win. The middleweight division is stacked with contenders, and a matchup with Brendan Allen—fresh off wins over Marvin Vettori and Reinier De Ridder—could be the perfect opportunity. But with Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez also in the mix, Du Plessis’ path to redemption won’t be easy.
Now, let’s spark some debate: Is Visser’s criticism of Goddard fair, or is he deflecting blame for a fight his fighter clearly lost? And if a rematch does happen, can Du Plessis really close the gap against an undefeated Chimaev? Share your thoughts in the comments—this is one discussion you won’t want to miss!
