Dricus du Plessis Promises an Unstoppable Return After the Defeat
The South African UFC fighter, Dricus du Plessis, has expressed his determination to return to the octagon stronger than ever after losing the middleweight belt to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. Du Plessis, known as ‘Stillknocks’, has assured that his “pursuit of greatness will be unimaginable to the average mind”. After spending the week recovering with friends and family, Du Plessis shared his reflections on social media. Accepting the defeat, the fighter sent a warning to his critics.Du Plessis, the first UFC champion from South Africa, continued: “Don’t get me wrong, I’m 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 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. I have absolutely no excuse 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. And, honestly, thank you to all those who enjoyed seeing me fall, because I will return the favor, as I always have. The fighter won the UFC middleweight championship in January 2024, after 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 resisted submission, Chimaev won by unanimous decision. After the fight, Du Plessis praised his opponent: “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. I almost tasted that victory [with the key in the fifth round], but I was defeated cleanly and fairly. He was the better man tonight. I will return to reclaim my belt, but for now, it’s his. He deserves it.I accept this defeat with open arms, because believe me, as much as I hate losing, it is part of life and our game, and I think it is necessary in my quest for greatness. ‘Without the bitter, the sweet wouldn’t be so sweet.’
Dricus du Plessis
