Excited fans gathered at the V&A Waterfront on Friday 2 February to get a glimpse of the newly crowned Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis.
He made history when he became the country’s first title holder after defeating the former champion Sean Strickland at the Scotiabank Arena in Canada late last month.
Du Plessis did a two-day belt tour in Cape Town and Pretoria to thank fans for their support.
He said it was an honour to represent the country.
“There are colours of every country that held this belt. For the first time in history South African flag colours are going to be on this belt. Right now, what’s next is defending this belt.”
Addressing the roaring crowd on Friday, the champion said: “It’s almost as if I have forgotten what happened, but the world hasn’t. When I arrived here today it felt as if I had just won the belt once again.”
During a question-and-answer session with Du Plessis professional MMA fighter and former EFC bantamweight champion Faeez “The Troublemaker“ Jacobs got the opportunity to speak to Du Plessis and hold UFC belt.
An elated Jacobs described it as one of the most surreal moments of his life.
“Dricus allowing me to hold the UFC belt. I’m not often speechless, but the reflection of the most special gold belt in the world had me mute.
“From 16-year-old me to 29-year-old me, and just over a decade of chasing this dream, the dream we share, that very same dream that you have just accomplished, with great love and respect, thank you champ.”
