Dricus Du Plessis of South Africa reacts after defeating Darren Till of England. (Photo: Sean M Haffey / Getty Images) 
South Africa’s Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) superstar Dricus du Plessis has a date with destiny early on Sunday morning (South African time) when he faces the US’s Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in Toronto, Canada, for the middleweight title.
Du Plessis is undefeated since he stepped into the octagon for the first time at the UFC in October 2020. He now has a deserved title shot against Strickland, who will be defending the middleweight title for the first time since knocking out former champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 in September last year.
At around the same time, the Springboks were defending their Rugby World Cup title in France. They recaptured it against the All Blacks on 28 October, winning 12-11, and Du Plessis was in attendance, cheering fervently for his home nation.
Read more in Daily Maverick: Dricus du Plessis’s fight to bring the belt back home
Du Plessis was also the flag-bearer for the Springboks’ Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks at Ellis Park on 13 August 2022 — which the home side lost 23-35.
Dricus du Plessis (left) as the South African flag bearer during The Rugby Championship match between South Africa and New Zealand at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on 13 August, 2022. (Photo: Anton Geyser / Gallo Images)
The Springboks have now returned the support for the 30-year-old mixed martial arts star.
“Dricus my ‘chom’ [friend], all the best for the [fight] against Strickland,” Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said to SuperSport.
“I know the country’s going to get behind you. You have all our support, as South Africa.
“The way you supported us during the Rugby World Cup was amazing. I am looking forward to seeing the fight on SuperSport, where we’re going to have it for the first time in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa commentary.”
Fighter’s famous phrase
Du Plessis earned his shot at the UFC middleweight title by defeating Australia’s Robert Whittaker in a second-round knockout in July last year.
After the bout, with a mic in hand, he looked directly at the camera and spoke his now famous phrase: “Hulle weet nie wat ons weet nie.” (They don’t know what we know.)
The phrase was echoed by Springbok players throughout the World Cup celebrations. Du Plessis explained to Daily Maverick at the end of last year that the phrase is about South African athletes constantly beating the odds.
“No matter how much of an underdog we are, like we were in the [Rugby] World Cup … we don’t care, we do not care,” he said.
“If you look at a guy like Chad le Clos, who beat Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympian ever, that was exactly the same situation.
“You look at a guy like [sprinter] Wayde van Niekerk … just all of the South Africans all over the world [who have] made history. It’s something that’s in our nature as South Africans; we do not care about odds.”
Dricus Du Plessis of South Africa reacts after defeating Darren Till of England. (Photo: Sean M Haffey / Getty Images)
Du Plessis has gone into every one of his six UFC fights as an underdog and come out with his arms raised aloft.
“Everyone, support the man and scream for the man. It’s a big title fight and we are here and behind you and the whole nation is behind you. We back you all the way, the way that you backed us,” Springbok fullback Willie le Roux said on X (formerly Twitter).
Ox Nche, whose impressive scrummaging power made him a recognisable household name during the Rugby World Cup also backed the MMA fighter on the same platform.
“Please don’t miss the chance to catch [Du Plessis] out as he aims for UFC glory. All the best, Dricus. We are all behind you,” Nche said. DM