Dricus du Plessis confirmed he’s back in training after suffering a fractured foot in his UFC 297 world title victory over Sean Strickland.
The UFC middleweight champion featured on fellow South African star Cameron Saaiman’s YouTube channel earlier this week, revealing that he’s only just getting back into the gym after sustaining a foot injury on January 20.
Dricus not only confirmed this was the injury that kept him away from negotiations to headline UFC 300 next month, but that he would be willing to wait out recovery until November or December if the UFC came calling with an Africa PPV.
Dricus du Plessis is back in the gym after foot injury vs Strickland
Speaking to teammate Saaiman earlier this week, Dricus du Plessis explained how even though it’s only been a few weeks since UFC 297, he’s already become “sick and tired” of not being able to train due to the fractured foot.
“Since last week, I’ve been able to be back in the gym 100%…Not being able to train, I’m so sick and tired of sitting on a bicycle I can tell you that. I couldn’t run with this foot, couldn’t even move around, even boxing because this foot needs to rest [otherwise] it’s not going to heal.”
“Within the next week I’ll be able to start kicking again, then we are almost at eight weeks-seven weeks,” he said, adding how he “felt so useless not being able to train properly.”
In the weeks prior to Pereira vs Hill being announced as the headline for April’s UFC 300, there was speculation that Dricus du Plessis could make the quick turnaround following his five-round fight with Sean Strickland in January.
Fans had been calling for ‘Stillknocks’ to face Israel Adesanya at the anniversary event, but du Plessis acknowledged that such an injury gives him the leverage over any speculation of a quick turnaround:
“Why would I go and start a camp once again injured if I’m the champion? I’m the champion now and I can fight when I’m ready. I think [Israel Adesanya] misjudges himself as still being a champion and he’s not.”
The South African addressed Adesanya directly, stating “You will fight when you get the opportunity, you don’t dictate when I fight”, but later acknowledged that he would be willing to wait out until November or December to headline a UFC Africa card against Stylebender.
“Let’s make that happen, if it’s a possibility in this year that is the only thing that will make me wait up until let’s say November-December, whatever the case may be if they take that much time to make it happen.”
If UFC Africa doesn’t come to fruition in 2024, du Plessis says he wants to fight “two more times this year.”