Dricus du Plessis, 31, has once again proven his dominance in the octagon to retain his UFC middleweight title at UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia on Saturday night.
The South African boxing champion soundly beat Sean Strickland in their second rematch, taking a unanimous decision with 50-45, 50-45, and 49-46 scores.
This win adds to his impressive list of triumphs, which includes victories over former champions Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, and Strickland, as well as former contenders Derek Brunson, Darren Till, and Brad Tavares.
However, du Plessis’ latest victory has been met with mixed reactions in South Africa, following controversy over his choice of attire at a recent media event. The fighter wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase “Trump prefers champions,” sparking widespread outrage on social media. The backlash was amplified by ongoing tensions between South Africa and the US, particularly regarding the Expropriation Act.
When questioned about the shirt, du Plessis expressed his admiration for former US President Donald Trump, stating, “I think he’s an amazing, amazing president, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting him.”
The controversy drew sharp criticism from prominent South African digital creator Brent Janse van Vuuren, who called the move “incredibly divisive.” In a post on X, van Vuuren wrote, “Dricus du Plessis bending the knee to Trump and Elon is embarrassing. For an athlete who built his brand on national pride and representing South Africa, this move is incredibly divisive.”
On the other hand, South Africa’s Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, came to du Plessis’ defense. In a post on X shown below, McKenzie praised the champion, writing, “A Champion representing South Africa on the international stage entering the ring wearing the SA flag, I must now not support him because he did or said something I or you disagree with? You guys have gone mad.“
Below is an intriguing post by South African businessman and social media personality, Koshiek Karan, reflecting on du Plessis’ victory and its connection to the current political climate in South Africa:
Alex Pereira challenges Dricus du Plessis to title fight after UFC 312
Following his dominant victory over Sean Strickland at UFC 312, du Plessis found himself in a heated exchange with light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. The tension began during du Plessis’ post-fight octagon interview, where he directed a bold question at Pereira, who was seated ringside: “Since he’s standing across the octagon… Is there no one else? Is there no one else?”
This confrontation spilled backstage, where both champions confirmed the encounter. At his UFC 312 post-fight press conference, du Plessis recounted the moment: “Yeah, he came up to me and asked: ‘Did you challenge me?’ I was like: ‘I did the whole show, I did the whole movie scene and everything,’ and you’re like, ‘Did you challenge me?’ That’s anticlimactic, but sure, yes.”
Du Plessis didn’t hold back in expressing his respect for Pereira, despite the challenge: “I said yeah, I did challenge you… but I have the world’s respect for Alex Pereira. I think he is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. I have the most respect for him for what he’s done in a short period of time in the UFC, to come from another sport… I want to share the octagon with that man. I’ve beaten [Israel] Adesanya, who has beaten him. I know I can beat him, and at 205 [pounds], 100%.”
Pereira, who was backstage moments after du Plessis’ middleweight title defense, responded to the challenge by saying, “Let’s make it happen,” insisting on a fight at 205 pounds, his current weight class, which is above du Plessis’ 185-pound division.
The verbal agreement sets the stage for a potential super fight between two of the UFC’s most dominant champions, promising an electrifying clash for fans worldwide. However, Pereira must first face his current opponent, Magomed Ankalaev, at UFC 313 on March 8.
Despite calling out Pereira immediately after his title defense in Sydney, the South African superstar has expressed his intention to defend his UFC middleweight title against the division’s No.1 challenger, Khamzat Chimaev, next. This was confirmed in an X post (below), where du Plessis outlined his plans for his next fight.
