Dricus Du Plessis Promises an Unstoppable Comeback After UFC Defeat
The South African UFC fighter, Dricus du Plessis, has stated that he will return to the octagon stronger than ever after his recent middleweight title loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. The athlete affirmed that his “pursuit of greatness will be unimaginable to the average mind”. Du Plessis, known as ‘Stillknocks’, shared his reflections after the fight on his Instagram account on Monday. In his post, he mentioned that he has spent the week following the defeat recovering with friends and family. Although he accepted the defeat, which was decisive, he issued a warning to his critics. The first UFC champion from South Africa, wrote in his first post after the fight in Chicago:“I accept this defeat with open arms, because believe me, as much as I hate losing, it’s part of life and our game, and I think it’s necessary in my quest for greatness. ‘Without the bitter, the sweet wouldn’t be so sweet’”.
Dricus du Plessis
“Make no mistake, I am not a good loser, because a good loser becomes a frequent one. However, I am an avid student of the arts and of life itself”.
Dricus du Plessis
“This defeat has ignited a desire in me that will result in an attack greater than the original domination: my return to glory and the pursuit of greatness will be unimaginable to the average mind”.
Dricus du Plessis
“I have absolutely no excuses for my performance, I was defeated by a better fighter that night, congratulations to my opponent and thank you for the honor of sharing the octagon with you”.
Dricus du Plessis
Du Plessis was crowned UFC middleweight champion in January 2024, after defeating Sean Strickland. He defended his title against Israel Adesanya in August, and again against Strickland in February of this year. His third title defense, however, did not go as expected, against Chimaev, who dominated Du Plessis from the start, controlling all five rounds on the ground. Although Du Plessis resisted submission, Chimaev won by unanimous decision. Subsequently, Du Plessis praised his opponent:“AND SINCERELY, thanks to all those who enjoyed seeing me fall, because I will return the favor, as I always have”.
Dricus du Plessis
“The man has incredible control on top. It wasn’t a matter of strength, it wasn’t physical, it was almost as if he knew what your next move would be”.
Dricus du Plessis
“I almost tasted that victory [with the choke in the fifth round], but he defeated me fairly. He was the better man tonight. I will come back to reclaim my belt, but for now, it’s his. He deserves it.”
Dricus du Plessis
