Dricus Du Plessis Promises an Unstoppable Comeback After the Defeat
The South African UFC fighter, Dricus du Plessis, has assured that he will return to the octagon stronger than ever after his defeat against Khamzat Chimaev in the middleweight championship fight at UFC 319. Du Plessis, known as “Stillknocks”, shared his reflections on social media, promising that his “quest for greatness will be unimaginable to the average mind”. After spending the week recovering with friends and family, Du Plessis accepted the defeat, but issued a warning to his critics.In his first post after the fight in Chicago, the first UFC champion from South Africa wrote:I accept this defeat with open arms, because believe me, as much as I hate losing, it’s as much a part of life as it is of 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
Du Plessis continued to express that the defeat has ignited a new motivation in him: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.
Dricus Du Plessis
The wrestler also acknowledged his opponent’s superiority:This defeat has ignited within me a desire that will result in an offensive greater than the original domination: my return to glory and the pursuit of greatness will be unimaginable to the average mind.
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 against Chimaev did not go as he hoped, as the Chechen fighter dominated all five rounds. Although Du Plessis resisted submission, Chimaev won by unanimous decision. After the fight, Du Plessis praised his opponent:I have absolutely no excuse 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.
Dricus Du Plessis
Du Plessis concluded: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.
Dricus Du Plessis
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 come back for my belt, but for now, it’s his. He deserves it.
Dricus Du Plessis
