Dricus, the newly-crowned UFC middleweight Champ Returns Home

Dricus du Plessis, the newly-crowned UFC middleweight champion, basked in a hero’s welcome upon his arrival at OR Tambo International airport in Johannesburg last Thursday.

A massive crowd had gathered at the airport, eagerly awaiting a glimpse of the champion. Thunderous cheers erupted from the crowd as Du Plessis emerged, proudly carrying his championship belt in one hand and the South African flag in the other. The atmosphere mirrored the jubilation seen when the Springboks returned from the Rugby World Cup, defending their title last year.

Du Plessis secured the UFC middleweight title by defeating Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in Canada over the weekend, marking South Africa’s first-ever world champion in the sport.

Following a grueling five-round battle, Du Plessis was declared the winner by a single point, dethroning the reigning champion Strickland.

In a triumphant declaration, Du Plessis asserted, “This is just the beginning of the championship reign and the Dricus du Plessis era.”

Expressing his ambitions, the new champion revealed his desire to defend the title against Israel Adesanya, the Nigeria-born fighter from New Zealand. Du Plessis also expressed interest in moving up in weight division to vie for another title.

Recalling the tense moments awaiting the fight’s outcome, Du Plessis admitted to seeking divine intervention. “It’s always a fifty-fifty. When they started announcing the decision, I’ve never prayed so hard in my life. It was absolutely incredible.”

Despite a slow start in the encounter, with Strickland leading in points during the first round, Du Plessis showcased remarkable fitness, ultimately proving too strong for his opponent in the later rounds. He proudly exclaimed, “The first three rounds were give and take, but the last two rounds… how’s that for rounds four and five. Who said I’m not a five-round fighter?”

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