In a recent revelation on the Fight In Sight podcast, Dricus du Plessis confessed to breaking a crucial UFC rule. This resulted in him paying a hefty $10,000 fine.
Despite repeated cautions from security, Du Plessis couldn’t resist the temptation to breach the regulation and approach former President Donald Trump after his victory at UFC 290.
Reflecting on the incident, Du Plessis acknowledged being forewarned by security personnel not to leap over the fence toward the former POTUS. But in a moment of elation after his win against Robert Whittaker, du Plessis noticed Trump acknowledging and applauding him. This drove Du Plessis to flout the rule, unwilling to miss the chance.
Du Plessis said: “They said it to me like four times before walking out… I’m assuming it was because Trump was sitting cage-side in terms of safety. I was like, ‘I don’t know why you guys keep on hammering about me jumping over the fence, I’ve never done it before.'”
He continued: “… After the fight, I just looked to the side and Trump stood up and gave me an ovation. I was like ‘This is too cool of a moment for me to let by,’ and well, I jumped over the fence, obviously, and greeted Trump.”
“I had been reminded multiple times about the $10,000 fine if I jumped over the fence. I couldn’t fathom why they kept emphasizing it, as I had never considered doing so before. But after the fight, witnessing Trump’s ovation, it felt like an opportunity too exceptional to pass up. So, I did jump over the fence to greet Trump.”
Dricus du Plessis has maintained an impeccable UFC record, notably clinching a victory against Whittaker at UFC 290. With the win, he ended up earning himself a coveted title shot.
Du Plessis is currently gearing up for the middleweight title match against Sean Strickland at UFC 297. The match will take place on January 20 in Toronto, Canada’s Scotiabank Arena.