Middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis has revealed his UFC 312 post-fight party plan
The South African slugger will put his belt on the line against Sean Strickland at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia this weekend.
They’ll square off in a rematch more than a year in the making. Du Plessis beat Strickland by split decision when they first clashed for 185lb gold at UFC 297, which took place at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in January 2024.
Now the middleweight duo will battle again as Dana White‘s MMA league heads down under for UFC 312.
Dricus du Plessis plans to break beer drinking record after UFC 312
Aussie fan favorite Tai Tuivasa is notorious for drinking beer from a shoe after his UFC wins.
Dricus du Plessis won’t go that far, but he’s ready to let his hair down after he’s dealt with Strickland.
‘DDP’ has a unique talent away from fighting, and he plans to make use of it during his afterparty.
“I love a beer. Think it’s the best thing in the world,” Du Plessis told Fox Sports.
“I was the fastest [drinker] of all my friends, which is why it’s become something like my party trick.”
“There may have been situations where I’ve, say, already won three times and then lost on the fourth go to a new guy who comes in. But as of yet, I’ve never been beat in a fair and square [drinking] competition.
Former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke famously downed a yard of ale – 1.4 liters – in just 11 seconds during his formative years at Oxford University.
“Geez, that’s somebody I could vote for,” Du Plessis said after learning about Hawke’s exploits, which he will try to replicate after his rematch with Strickland.
The UFC star added: “Oh, 100 percent. Absolutely, I’m going for that.”
“So I have to do one-and-a-half liters in what time? OK, 11 seconds, I’m giving that a go. I’m going to try and beat your late Prime Minister.”
Dricus du Plessis reveals hardest part of fight camp
Du Plessis got serious during a recent interview with CBS Sports as he revealed the sacrifices he’s made ahead of his two middleweight title fights with Strickland.
“As a Christian man, last year… I had no Christmas. No holidays with the family after spending the whole year just fighting,” he said.
“The last two weeks of the year are always committed to my family over Christmas…then this year again fighting in February, you’re in the middle of your training camp and you can’t really spend that time with family.
“I know there’s a lot of fighters who aren’t Christian who don’t celebrate Christmas, I just thought it would make more sense to let them fight in January or February. That was the one thing where I was like ‘Ah, I had to do this again!’.
“Now everybody has priorities with families too, and everyone had to once again cancel plans with families to train…it’s asking a lot of your teammates and coaches, and that’s the one thing where I felt that there needs to be some changes around that.”