Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev snubbed as PFL star is named the ‘best middleweight in the world’

Could there be a man outside of the UFC capable of beating both Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev?

Du Plessis and Chimaev will fight at UFC 319 in Chicago on August 16, as the latter gets set for his first opportunity at earning champion status on MMA’s biggest stage.

After moving up from welterweight, ‘Borz’ has defeated Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker to secure a title shot. ‘Stillknocks’, meanwhile, has also remained unbeaten in the UFC after standout performances against the likes of Whittaker, Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya.

Those winning runs have left many branding the pair as the clear top two at 185 pounds. But according to a renowned coach, neither man could handle what the PFL’s top middleweight brings to the table.

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Coach Mike Brown insists Johnny Eblen is better than UFC’s Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev

During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, American Top Team trainer Mike Brown spoke about a number of fighters at his gym.

Among the top names is Johnny Eblen, a 16-0 professional who held the Bellator middleweight title when the promotion was acquired by the PFL.

Ahead of Eblen’s return, Brown made a bold claim about ‘Johnny Pressure’.

“Johnny Eblen’s the best middleweight in the world,” Brown said. “Today, right now, he is the best middleweight in the world. You put him against anybody and he wins, I believe that.

“Striking, conditioning, grappling, wrestling…if things go bad in the fight, he finds ways to overcome it. Bad cut? Get rocked? Whatever, he finds a way.

“The sport’s crazy, anything can happen. But I think this guy’s the best middleweight in the world,” Brown added.

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Johnny Eblen has the chance to prove his talents again before Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev

Before Du Plessis and Chimaev joust over the UFC middleweight title in Illinois, Eblen will feature at a historic event in the South African’s home country.

Eblen vs. Costello van Steenis, presumably for the PFL’s new middleweight world title, is one of the bouts set for PFL Africa on July 19.

Amid ongoing uncertainty about the UFC’s plans to debut in the continent, the PFL will look to make a splash in Africa with their Champions Series card at Cape Town’s GrandWest Arena.

The event’s recent date change means PFL Africa will take place on the same day as the Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier-headlined UFC 318 pay-per-view.