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UFC champ du Plessis to walk out with Springboks greats before title fight

Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth of South Africa poses with the Webb Ellis Cup during the South Africa Winners Portrait shoot after the Rugby World Cup Final match between New Zealand and South Africa at Stade de France on October 29, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Adam Pretty - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis has confirmed “a done deal” plan to walk out with Springboks Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi before his title fight against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth on Sunday.

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Like many South Africans, du Plessis reportedly grew up dreaming of one day pulling on the iconic green jersey of the Springboks in the Test rugby arena. While du Plessis’s sporting career has gone in another direction, the 30-year-old remains passionate about rugby.

When fights fans from around the world stop to watch one of the most highly-anticipated middleweight bouts in recent UFC history, du Plessis will walk towards the octagon at Perth’s RAC Arena in a moment that will echo throughout South African sporting history.

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The champion fighter from Pretoria will wear custom South Africa shorts for this blockbuster against Nigerian-New Zealand fighter Adesanya, and he’ll also be joined by two of the greatest Springboks to have pulled on the jersey in the Test arena.

Two-time Rugby World Cup winners Eben Etzebeth and captain Siya Kolisi are set to join du Plessis on the walk out to the octagon. If you’re a fight fan, you’ll understand just how big of a moment this will be for everyone involved – including fans back in South Africa.

“We are trying to get Eben (Etzebeth) and Siya (Kolisi) to walk out with me and it looks like it’s a done deal,” du Plessis told KFM Mornings.

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“They won’t be sitting in my corner but will walk out with me to the octagon which is pretty special.”

Du Plessis will likely fight Adesanya around midway (local time) on Sunday. That title bout follows the Springboks’ second Rugby Championship clash against the Wallabies in as many weeks, with that match scheduled for Saturday evening at Optus Stadium.

The Springboks are riding a wave of confidence going into a fight of their own. They dominated the Wallabies last weekend in Brisbane as they snapped their long-lasting Suncorp Stadium hoodoo with a masterful 33-7 win.

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Coach Rassie Erasmus has made 10 changes to the starting side, which has led some media outlets to label this new-look XV as a ‘B team.’ Elrigh Louw basically laughed that off in an interview with RugbyPass this week as the players themselves focused on the job at hand.

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“Because Perth is so far ahead, I’m fighting on Sunday and the Springboks are playing on Saturday. All of them are going to be at the fight, and it’s going to be awesome,” du Plessis explained.

“The Boks are playing, they are the pride of South Africa, and then I’m fighting, all on the same weekend – talk about stars aligning.”

Du Plessis is looking to defend his UFC middleweight belt for the first time after beating American Sean Strickland by split decision at UFC 297 in Canada earlier this year. The South African was strategic and effective during the fight and was rewarded by the judges.

But with that comes pressure. The Springboks know a thing or two about defending world titles after taking out the Rugby World Cup crown in 2019 and then again in 2023. Du Plessis will have the whole world watching but the Boks will be supporting their countryman the whole way.

“It gets me excited knowing that the whole world is watching. More people to see what we’re all about, that’s not pressure that’s excitement.

“The bigger the moment, the bigger Dricus shows up on the night. I can’t wait. This fight is by far the biggest of my career. This is my World Cup, my last one was in January in Canada and now I’m defending it.

“Once I put that South African flag around my shoulders, there is nothing in the world that can stop me. He can knock me down, but he won’t knock me out and he won’t keep me down.”

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JW 1 hour ago
Where is the new breed of All Black 10?

These kids have been playing in leagues comparable to SR, not the NPC

The likes of games these guys get introduced to are closer to NPC than SR.


This is the team Sam played with in his first Leinster game;

Ed BYRNE

Tadgh MCELROY

Tom CLARKSON

Alex SOROKA

Brian DEENY

James CULHANE

Will CONNORSE

Max DEEGAN

Nick MCCARTHY

Sam PRENDERGAST

Dave KEARNEY

Ben BROWNLEE

Liam TURNER

Tommy O'BRIEN

Chris COSGRAVE

It’s too short, not as competitive and there are (usually) no test players in that comp.

You’re talking about something else altogether, sure, I’m not saying people around the world want to watch the NPC, but locally its just the same with a large amount of internationals playing, even All Blacks.

The evidence the NPC is not on par is in the U20 WC. SH sides haven’t won it since 2017

You obviously have had very little exposure to New Zealand rugby. The NPC is made up all the Super Rugby players, plus the club battlers trying to get a gig. Far above u20 rugby level.

Guys like Attisogbe, Gazzotti and Louis BB were in those sides. They were Top14 regulars at the time and are test players now.

What you need to understand is that NZ rugby is not like France, basically the complete opposite. AB jerseys are not just handed out like that and there is very little room for u20 as every player in these squads is battling for an AB jersey basically. Super Rugby only has 5 teams, not 14. Sure, you can argue more exposure is better, but season length is not going to do that, you just have to get onboard with how NZ does it. They are the best after all.

NZ used to chuck talented youngsters in at the deep end in SR. Carter, McCaw and quite a few others from the 2011 and 2015 WC winning teams were in SR at 20, 21 and ABs a year later.

You are definitely star struck. I like it, reminds me of playing Championship Manager. It’s no different now, heard of Wallace Sititi, Peter Lakai, Noah Hotham? NZ was one of the youngest squads going around and a good number of 20/21 yo’s coming into SR each year.


You don’t want players under pressure at that age, hence what teams do in those comps I mentioned. NZ definitely takes that to a different level for 17/18 yo, and even younger, but when you hear what happens to them when you don’t, I think that’s the right path.

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LONG READ Jamie Joseph could lead the Highlanders to the promised land and himself to the All Blacks job Jamie Joseph could lead the Highlanders to the promised land and himself to the All Blacks job
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