Fresh off capturing the UFC middleweight championship with a thrilling fifth round knockout against Sean Strickland, Dricus Du Plessis admits he paid a hefty price during the fight.
Appearing on a South African radio show just days after his career-defining victory, Du Plessis revealed the damage sustained against Strickland left him more battered than ever before.
“100%. Prior to my pro career because I have 2 older brothers.”
“But so now what what how did you feel straight after? Was I saw you you limped off?” asked the host.
“Yeah. I mean, when I fight, I’m always limping off to a fight because we’re still kicking into each other’s legs, kicking knees, elbows, whatever it may be, but this one specifically fiber. I was like, dad, it takes it it takes its soul. Now my face I just swell up quite quite easily. So I didn’t have any cuts or any stitches,” said Du Plessis.
While he didn’t require stitches, the swelling around Du Plessis’ eyes left him nearly unrecognizable. His face was badly bruised and bloodied, with gruesome hematomas protruding over both eyes.
“By the time I saw myself in the mirror, when it got back to the hotel, I mean, sh**…,” Du Plessis said, referencing his girlfriend’s reaction to seeing his battered state for the first time.
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It was a small price to pay for Du Plessis, who realized his lifelong dream of becoming a UFC champion. The South African native did so in front of a raucous crowd in his homeland, capping his meteoric rise to the top. But based on the state of his face, Du Plessis is still feeling the effects of his war with Strickland.