Ex-UFC champion reveals Khamzat Chimaev's special training for Dricus du Plessis clash: "Going to get the win because of it" 

Khamzat Chimaev is attacking his cardio doubts head-on ahead of UFC 319. With Dricus du Plessis known for his pressure and gas tank, Chimaev has reportedly taken a new route to prepare for the five-round challenge.

Former two-time UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw has now revealed that Chimaev has started training under renowned performance coach Sam Calavitta.

Calavitta is known for his science-driven work on lactic threshold conditioning. His method involves manipulating the heart rate zones that control when an athlete begins burning carbs versus fat. This training delays lactic acid buildup, which is the key reason fighters gas out under pressure.

Speaking about how the training will benefit Chimaev in a recent episode of Overdogs Podcast with Mike Perry, Dillashaw said:

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"It’s all science. I talked about this in a podcast asking about DDP and Chimaev. I was like, Chimaev is the better striker, in my opinion. Technically, he’s by far the better grappler, has more strength, and better jiu-jitsu. DDP is nonstop pressure. He’s awkward, and that awkwardness gets it done. I said the reason why Chimaev won’t win is because of his cardio."

He added:

"Then I met him and introduced him to Sam Calavitta. He owns Training Lab... I introduced Arman [Tsarukyan] to Sam, who’s been working with him, and you’ve seen the way he’s been looking lately. Now I’ve introduced Chimaev to him. Sam’s got killers in his garage. He does all his strength and conditioning in there, which is amazing. It’s like Rocky-style training. Chimaev is doing it right now. I highly suspect he’s going to have a better gas tank for this next fight. I think he’s going to get the win because of it."

Check out T.J. Dillashaw's comments below (49:00):

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Luke Rockhold previews Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev clash at UFC 319

Luke Rockhold knows what it feels like to train with both Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus du Plessis. The former UFC middleweight champion offered a blunt assessment ahead of their UFC 319 title fight.

He believes Chimaev is dangerous early with wrestling pressure and a high pace but questions if that can last over five rounds. Rockhold has trained extensively with du Plessis and praised his toughness and awkward rhythm.

Previewing the clash in a recent interview with Submission Radio, Rockhold said:

"[Chimaev's] a f*cking beast. He's a wrestler, he's a grappler, he's going to get relentless pressure. He's going to start fast and hard. Can Dricus take that the first two rounds? That's what life's about for his opponents. Can he withstand the barrage? Because he's going to bring it."

Check out Luke Rockhold's comments below (11:00):

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar