'Doing the right thing' [video]

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UFC champion, Dricus du Plessis, has praised US President Donald Trump and his right-hand man, Elon Musk, for criticising South Africa’s race-based laws.

Like Elon, the MMA fighter was raised in Pretoria. He is currently in Australia, where he will defend his middleweight title against rival Sean Strickland on Sunday, 9 February.

DRICUS DU PLESSIS PRAISES DONALD TRUMP, ELON MUSK

Speaking in a UFC press conference, Dricus du Plessis donned a black T-shirt that read: “Trump prefers champions.”

He said of the newly re-elected president: “He is amazing, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting him.

He said good changes are coming. He’s holding many people and countries accountable for everything, and it’s amazing to see.

Of his slogan T-shirt, Dricus said: “He [Trump] said he wants champions in his team.”

Dricus also gave a “big shout out to fellow South African Elon Musk for also doing the right thing.”

The 31-year-old is likely referring to both Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s comments this week about SA.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump accused SA of “confiscating land” and treating “certain classes of people very badly.”

Elon – who left his hometown of Pretoria at just 17 years old – also accused SA President Cyril Ramaphosa of promoting “openly racist laws.”

He has previously called out SA for “pushing for the genocide of white people.”

MEETING TRUMP

In 2023, Dricus du Plessis was fined $10 000 for jumping over the fence of the Octagon to shake hands with Donald Trump, who was seated in the front row at the UFC 290.

He said of the experience: “After the fight, I 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 and greeted Trump…This was the president of the United States. I wasn’t not going to greet him; this is amazing.”

According to UFC founder Dana White, Donald Trump was impressed with the SA fighter.

Dana said: “He [Trump] was blown away; he was basically talking about ‘God damn, this guy [Dricus] is huge’. He is a big, strong guy and he is. If most of you have met him one-on-one, ever grabbed him or tried to touch the guy, it is like a table’.”

Dana added: “He is a beast, and he was happy to meet him.”

AWARENESS ABOUT FARM MURDERS

Like Donald Trump and Elon Musk, Dricus du Plessis has often spoken out about his concerns for white South Africans, particularly farmer murders.

At his UFC debut in 2020, he told the media of his home country: “It’s unbelievable, people are being murdered daily. Because it’s Africa, a lot of the world doesn’t see it. Nobody knows what is going on…I want the world to see what is happening in South Africa.”

Before winning the middle-weight title last year, Dricus also criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa and the government.’

Speaking to US interviewer Nina Drama, he said of his country: “It’s the worst government in the world by a long shot. We are truly and exceptionally s**t…it’s the most corrupt in the world”.

Of the president, he added: “He takes all the money.”