As Dricus du Plessis prepares for his highly anticipated title fight at UFC 312, he has been busy with media appearances, including an interview with former champion and UFC commentator Daniel Cormier. While many expected the duo to discuss the fight and the upcoming challenges if the South African won, the conversation took a surprising turn when ‘DC’ chose to clear the air about a popular image. But which image is he talking about?

During their talk, Cormier felt the need to share his perspective on a viral moment that became quite controversial: his reaction to Du Plessis’ now-famous post-fight celebration at UFC 290. After defeating Robert Whittaker via TKO in July 2023, Du Plessis celebrated with his coach, Morne Visser, kissing him on the mouth. While the gesture alone was newsworthy, a photograph of Cormier inside the Octagon, smiling and looking in Du Plessis’ direction, piqued the interest of MMA fans.

Many perceived his look as one of discomfort or amusement at the kiss, sparking significant debate about his reaction. During their recent conversation, Cormier was keen to correct the record. He claimed that the angle of the shot made it appear as if he was bothered by the kiss; however, the UFC legend claimed that he was looking somewhere else and did not notice the kiss in the first place. He said, “I didn’t even notice, Dricus. Like, that’s why everybody’s like, ‘Look at DC uncomfortable.’ I did not even notice. I did not even notice. You’re such a liar, bro. I had no idea. I wasn’t even paying attention.”

But despite the clarification, ‘Stillknocks’ decided to let the commentator know that he was offended when he first saw the photograph. “I know what you’re saying, and photos sometimes can be deceiving. But that was a bad look.” He further joked by saying that even though ‘DC’ might have just looked over there, they were in that direction, kissing. “Very rude for staring, DC,” he said, laughing.

It is worth noting that another moment that gave fans something to talk about Dricus Du Plessis and his trainer was when, in a fight, his coach made sure that his protector of private parts was in place. Of course, the video gave rise to all kinds of interpretations. But speaking about the kiss in the interview, Dricus Du Plessis told Daniel Cormier that the gesture was culturally normal in South Africa. In fact, he is out here in the UFC to spread more positivity, even spreading some love toward possible future rival Alex Pereira.

Dricus du Plessis downplays his dispute with Pereira

As Dricus Du Plessis prepares for his UFC 312 title defense, his name has been linked to more than just his forthcoming bout against Sean Strickland. In the build-up to the event, ‘Tarzan’ said that Alex Pereira “hates” Du Plessis, reigniting suspicions about the future rivalry between the two champions. However, when asked about the claim, the South African quickly shut down any mention of bad blood. In a recent interview, the South African laughed at the notion that Pereira has any genuine enmity toward him.

While the two had previously exchanged words and even discussed a super fight, the middleweight champion believes there is no lingering hatred between them. Instead, he suggested that Strickland might have exaggerated the situation at hand. ‘DDP’ said, “[Pereira] was also in the corner (of Strickland) in the last fight. And that doesn’t make any difference to me. And the same applies to this one. I don’t think he hates me.”

He further added, “We’ve never even spoken. I asked him for a picture, I think, once. I consider Alex an incredible fighter, one of the greatest that ever walked the planet Earth, one of the greatest combat athletes in history. But if he hates me, I don’t care. I have enough friends already.” What do you think? Do you believe in Sean Strickland’s claim that ‘Poatan’ actually hates the middleweight champion? Let us know in the comments.