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UFC star Dricus du Plessis on rugby and his own 'World Cup final'
By Grant Constable
He gave beer to Aquaman during the Rugby World Cup final, got jumped last week at UFC 296, and now he’s sparring with Jim Hamilton. Dricus du Plessis has had an eventful few months, and the best could still be to come.
The South African MMA star and UFC title hopeful is a huge rugby fan and recently took time out of training to chat to Big Jim in Pretoria, exclusively for RugbyPass TV.
Du Plessis was famously in the stands at the RWC 2023 final, making himself heard alongside the likes of VIPs Jason Momoa, Rita Ora and Novak Djokovic, some of which were very quiet by the time South Africa lifted the Webb Ellis Cup for the second time in succession.
The Middleweight title challenger has rugby in his blood and says that growing up in South Africa, the sport has always been a part of his life and the respect he has for the players now is huge.
"I've always been a big rugby guy. Massive, massive respect for professional rugby. I know quite a few of them. I've trained with them at my gym. Some of them came for some wrestling exercises - great for rugby.
"Being a big Springbok supporter, winning a World Cup, back to back, it's incredible.
"As South Africans, we are very very passionate when it comes to sport. Make no mistake, when our teams don't perform, South Africans get angry. But at the end of the day we'll always be watching and supporting our guys.
Du Plessis is set to take on current UFC Middleweight champion Sean Strickland for the title early next year.
At UFC 296, the title holder lost his cool and attacked Du Plessis in the crowd, partially a result of poor seating planning by UFC president Dana White, but the South African star was neither injured nor phased, exchanging some jabs in the media but staying fully focused on the task at hand.
"A Rugby World Cup is massive, and me fighting for a world title, it's massive. It's almost a build up like a World Cup final for me, and the whole country is getting behind me.
"I'm a Springbok, just in a different sport."
Du Plessis faces Strickland for the Middleweight title at UFC 297 in Toronto, Canada on Saturday, January 20, 2024.
Watch the full chat with Du Plessis, including the sparring session with Big Jim, free on RugbyPass TV
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Latest Comments
But he chose rightly or wrongly to play for Tonga. If he wanted to play for the ABs why didn’t he hold off?
Go to comments“A succession of recent ex-players going straight back into the game as coaches in their early 40’s would prob be enough to kill it stone-dead. Innovation would die a death.”
Would it? I do think one of the major differences between rugby and most other sports - which we’ve been overlooking - is the degree to which players are expected to lead team meetings & analysis sessions and the like. Someone like Owen Farrell has basically been an assistant coach already for ten years - and he’s been so under a variety of different head coaches with different expectations and playing styles.
“The most interesting ppl I have met in the game have all coached well into their sixties and they value the time and opportunity they have had to reflect and therefore innovate in the game. That’s based on their ability to compare and contrast between multiple eras.”
I don’t doubt that that’s true. But having interesting insights doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the best able to inspire a team, or the best at managing the backroom staff.
“Wayne Smith winning the WWC in his mid sixties three years ago prob means nothing to you but it meant a lot to him. It took him back to the roots of is own coaching journey.”
I don’t doubt that! But I don’t think coaches should be hired on the basis that it means a lot to them.
“The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Wayne Bennett and Andy Reid all have a tale to tell. You should open your ears and listen to it!”
I agree! Never have I ever suggested otherwise!
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