Dricus Du Plessis Promises an Unstoppable Comeback After His UFC Defeat
The South African UFC fighter, Dricus du Plessis, has stated that he will return to the octagon stronger than ever after losing the middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. Du Plessis, known as ‘Stillknocks’, shared his reflections through an Instagram post on Monday, where he mentioned that he had spent the week following his defeat recovering with friends and family. Although he accepted the defeat, which was resounding, he issued a warning to his critics.The first UFC champion from South Africa added:“I accept this defeat with open arms, because believe me, as much as I hate losing, it is as much a part of life as it is part of our game, and I believe it is necessary in my pursuit of greatness. ‘Without the bitter, the sweet wouldn’t be so sweet’”, wrote Du Plessis.
Dricus du Plessis
In his message, Du Plessis also expressed his recognition of his opponent:“I have no doubt that 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. This defeat has ignited a desire in me that will have the consequence of 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
The South African fighter was crowned UFC middleweight champion in January 2024 by defeating Sean Strickland. Then, he defended his belt against Israel Adesanya in August, and again against Strickland in February of this year. His third title defense, against Chimaev, didn’t go as expected. The Chechen fighter dominated Du Plessis from the start, controlling all five rounds on the ground. Although Du Plessis managed to resist submission, Chimaev won by unanimous decision. After the fight, Du Plessis praised his opponent:“I have absolutely no excuses for my performance, I was beaten by a better fighter that night, congratulations to my opponent and thank you for the honor of sharing the octagon with you. And, frankly, thank you to all those who enjoyed watching 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 like he knew what your next move would be. I could almost taste that victory [with the choke in the fifth round], but he beat me fair and square. He was the better man tonight. I will be back to reclaim my belt, but for now, it’s his. He deserves it”.
Dricus du Plessis
