The UFC will have a backup plan if either Dricus du Plessis or Khamzat Chimaev can’t make it to the cage ahead of their scheduled world title fight at UFC 319.

It was confirmed this week by UFC boss Dana White that Du Plessis will defend his middleweight championship against top contender Chimaev in the headline attraction of the organisation’s latest event in Chicago in mid August.

The bout comes amid rumours of an injury sustained by Du Plessis during a recent training session – reports which Du Plessis has rejected – and follows several instances throughout Chimaev’s UFC tenure in which he has been forced to withdraw from scheduled fights due to injury or illness.

And, as such, the UFC have instituted a backup plan in the shape of another surging 185-pound contender Nassourdine Imavov who will be on hand at UFC 319 to weigh-in should either the champion or his challenger not make it to the cage.

France’s Imavov, 16-4 in his career, scored a career best win in his most recent fight in February, finishing the former champion Israel Adesanya by strikes early in the second round of their clash in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Prior to that, Imavov scored successive wins against Roman Dolidze, Jared Cannonier and Brendan Allen.

The UFC regularly requests the services of backup fighters as a means to combat any last minute hitches on a fight card. At last weekend’s UFC 315 card, Ian Machado Garry served as the backup to the welterweight title fight between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena.

On several occasions, a fighter serving as backup has led to a title opportunity a little further down the line.