Six months after escorting Dricus du Plessis out to his UFC title-winning fight, Springbok Eben Etzebeth is backing the South African once again to win in the Octagon. This comes days after the world middleweight champion paid homage to controversial US President Donald Trump.
The MMA fighter will defend his belt in a brawl with Sean Strickland in Australia on Sunday, 9 February.
Like many South Africans, Dricus is a die-hard Boks supporter.
EBEN ETZEBETH SHOWS LOVE TO DRICUS DU PLESSIS
In an Instagram Story, Springbok Eben Etzebeth praised his pal, Dricus du Plessis.
“Let’s go, champ!” he shared a picture of himself with the world champion and Bok captain, Siya Kolisi.
Last August, Eben and Siya were Dricus du Plessis’s “hypemen “ – or, as some would say, “cheerleaders” at his UFC fight in Canada, where he beat Israel Adesanya for the title.
Image via Instagram:
@ebenetzebeth4
Eben’s reference to the world “champ” comes days after Dricus set tongues wagging when he wore a T-shirt that read: “Trump supports Champions” to a media event this week.
Defending his controversial slogan T-shirt and his support for the US president, Dricus said: “He [Trump] said he wants champions in his team.”
![dricus du plessis, donald trump, elon musk, south africa](http://www.thesouthafrican.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Dricus-du-Plessis-has-praised-Donald-Trump-and-Elon-Musk-for-speaking-out-about-South-Africa.jpg)
Images via Instagram:
@ufc
Last week, Trump criticised South Africa for “confiscating land” and treating “certain classes of people very badly.” He has since signed an executive order granting white South Africans, particularly Afrikaners, asylum in the US.
WILL SA ANTHEM, FLAG FEATURE IN ENTRANCE?
Meanwhile, Dricus du Plessis has teased another big entrance at the UFC 312 in Australia.
Last August, the 31-year-old was accompanied by Springbok besties Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi into the octagon in Canada. Their procession was set to the soundtrack of the South African national anthem.
“That was a very proud moment for me,” Dricus said this week.
ARE YOU BACKING DRICUS DU PLESSIS TO WIN AGAINST SEAN STRICKLAND?
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