South African sports minister Gayton McKenzie recently revealed that negotiations are underway for a potential UFC event in Cape Town, with Dricus Du Plessis slated to headline.
The reigning UFC middleweight champion has been very adamant in his push to bring the promotion to his homeland of South Africa for the first time. His campaign gained momentum after he secured the title with a hard-fought split decision victory over former champion Sean Strickland at UFC 297 this past January.
The push for the event seemed to lose steam as the UFC had already locked in most of its venues for the upcoming quarter. However, the topic gained traction again before UFC 305 last month when UFC CEO Dana White hinted that if ‘Stillknocks’ could defeat fellow African star Israel Adesanya, the promotion would seriously consider bringing an event to South Africa.
With Du Plessis’ impressive submission victory over “The Last Stylebender,” it seems his wish is finally coming to fruition. Positive developments have been steadily aligning, especially after White, during the Noche UFC 306 post-fight press conference, confirmed that he’s “very serious” about hosting a UFC event in Africa.
McKenzie Confirms Du Plessis As Headliner For Potential UFC Africa Event, Host City Remains Up In The Air
According to multiple media reports, the DHL Stadium in Cape Town is in talks to construct a temporary roof at an estimated cost of R30 million (around $1.7 million) in preparation for hosting a UFC event in 2025. The 55,000-seat arena was one of the flagship venues during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Following these reports, the South African sports minister recently took to X to acknowledge that they are on the brink of sealing the deal to bring Du Plessis’ next fight to Africa. However, he also noted that the choice of host city is yet to be finalized.
“I see news articles about @UFCfight of @dricusduplessis happening in Cape Town,” McKenzie tweeted. “We are in the final stages of negotiating for the fight to happen in South Africa. We have not been given the green light. We will know by the end of October, no decision of hosting city can be made yet.”
With the host city still up in the air, the question of who ‘Stillknocks’ will face in his next title defense remains equally uncertain. Rumors are circulating, with some hinting at a possible rematch against Strickland.
Alternatively, Du Plessis has also suggested moving up a weight class to challenge reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira — or perhaps Pereira could move down to face him, a possibility he himself has hinted at.
Alex Pereira said that he wants to fight Dricus Du Plessis at 185 lbs and DDP replied saying he'd come up to 205 lbs to fight Pereira for his belt
They both want a shot at becoming a double champion against each other
#UFC305 pic.twitter.com/ipRCTbgnKL
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 18, 2024
However, “Poatan” is already scheduled to defend his light heavyweight crown against Khalil Rountree in the main event of UFC 307 on October 5. Only time will reveal who will ultimately stand across from Du Plessis in the Octagon at the much-anticipated showdown on African soil.
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