The world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has seen a surge in African talent in recent years. Many fighters from the African continent have achieved great success in the sport. However, no true African fighter has won the middleweight belt, according to Dricus du Plessis.
Israel Adesanya, the former middleweight champion, was born in Nigeria but moved to New Zealand in early childhood. Kamaru Usman, the former welterweight champion, was also born in Nigeria but is an American now. Du Plessis made some interesting comments about this.
Dricus du Plessis talking about taking the belt to Africa
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In a recent conference, Dricus du Plessis, a rising star in the UFC, talked about becoming the first African fighter to take a UFC belt to his homeland. “Did this belt ever go to Africa? As far as I know, it came to America and New Zealand”, said ‘Stillknocks’.
Dricus du Plessis: "I'm the African fighter. Me and Cameron. WE breathe African air, WE wake up in Africa every day. " pic.twitter.com/7xWfyfhvem
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) March 1, 2023
Through this comment, du Plessis hinted at Israel Adesanya and Kamaru Usman being African-born but not African citizens.
He even claimed that he will be the guy to take the middleweight belt to Africa. He pointed out that he and Cameron Saaiman are the only true Africans in the UFC. “Myself and Cameron, we breathe African air. We wake up in Africa every day, we train in Africa. We are African born, we are African raised”, said du Plessis.
du Plessis’s future in the UFC
Du Plessis, who hails from Ermelo, South Africa, has a record of 18 wins and 2 losses in his MMA career. He is a well-rounded fighter with excellent striking and grappling skills, and he has proven himself in various MMA promotions before signing with the UFC.
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The 29-year-old is going to face Derek Brunson on March 5th, 2023, at UFC 285. Brunson is a seasoned veteran of the sport, with notable wins over fighters like Kevin Holland and Edmen Shahbazyan. However, ‘Stillknocks’ is confident in his abilities and believes he can defeat Brunson to move closer to his goal of becoming a true African champion.
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Du Plessis‘s comments have resonated with many African MMA fans who are eager to see a fighter from the continent win a UFC title. His determination and pride in his African heritage have endeared him to many, and he has become a symbol of hope and inspiration for aspiring fighters from the region.
What do you think of the comments made by du Plessis? Let us know in the comments below.