“Hulle weet nie wat ons weet nie.” If you don’t know what that means, don’t worry, Dricus Du Plessis does. And so do millions of South Africans. The phrase, which translates to “They don’t know what we know,” went viral when the UFC middleweight champion dropped it after his win against Robert Whittaker at UFC 290. It struck a chord, making waves beyond the MMA world and even finding a home in South Africa’s Rugby World Cup campaign.
When the reigning champ steps into the Octagon, his fists do most of the talking but what about outside the cage? Ever wondered what language the UFC middleweight champ actually speaks? Just English? Afrikaans? Or is there another layer to unravel? As he gears up to throw down with Sean Strickland (again) at UFC 312, the curiosity around his cultural and linguistic roots isn’t just lingering, it’s getting louder.
Dricus du Plessis’s primary language
So, what’s the verdict? ‘Stillknocks’ is fluent in both English and Afrikaans, but Afrikaans is his mother tongue. Born in Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa, he’s part of the Afrikaner community, descendants of Dutch settlers who didn’t just bring their language but evolved it into something uniquely South African. While English might be the global go-to, Afrikaans still holds deep cultural weight in the country.
And Du Plessis? He’s not just speaking Afrikaans, he’s putting it on the map. That now-iconic post-fight quote? Not just some throwaway line. It was a declaration. A rallying cry. And whether you cheer for him or roll your eyes, one thing’s for sure, it got people talking.
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Of course, proudly waving the heritage flag tends to ruffle a few feathers. ‘Stillknocks’ ignited a firestorm by declaring he would be the first “true African champion”, one born, raised, and trained in Africa. It didn’t take long for former UFC champ Israel Adesanya to fire back, challenging the claim with his own deep African roots. What followed was a war of words, but if anyone expected Du Plessis to backtrack, they clearly hadn’t done their homework:
“Where do I reside? What’s my postal code? Where do I train? Where do I live, where was I born? In South Africa. Still there. Still training. And I want this belt from South Africa.” And just like that, what started as a UFC rivalry turned into a much bigger conversation. What does it really mean to represent a country, a continent, or a culture? Love him or hate him, Du Plessis made sure that question wasn’t going unanswered.
Dricus du Plessis’s background and early life
Beyond the Octagon, this 31-year-old’s story is just as compelling. His ancestry traces back to France, where his forebears fled religious persecution before settling in South Africa. But make no mistake, he proudly identifies as South African through and through. His journey into combat sports started young. At just five years old, he began judo. By 12, he was wrestling. At 14, he picked up kickboxing and fell in love with striking. That passion turned into serious hardware, at 17, he won a gold medal at the WAKO World Championships for K-1 style kickboxing.
His professional MMA career kicked off in EFC, South Africa’s biggest MMA promotion, where he dominated the competition and became a two-division champion. He then took his talents to KSW in Poland, winning their welterweight belt before returning to EFC to unify his middleweight title. By the time the UFC came calling in 2020, Du Plessis was already a seasoned champ with three titles in two different weight classes.
Since then, he’s been unstoppable in the UFC, amassing an 8-0 record and claiming the middleweight belt. With each fight, he carries not just his country’s flag but its language, history, and pride. Dricus Du Plessis isn’t just another UFC champion, he’s a man on a mission. “I will do whatever is necessary to get the UFC to South Africa” he declared at a press conference before UFC 305. Whether he’s speaking English for a global audience or delivering fiery one-liners in Afrikaans, his message remains crystal clear: He’s here to make history.
As UFC 312 approaches and Du Plessis prepares to face Sean Strickland, one thing is certain—he won’t just be fighting for a title. He’ll be fighting for something bigger. And if history has taught us anything, it’s that they don’t know what he knows. What do you think? Will Sean Strickland once again be baffled by this South African energy that was once dismissed before? Let us know in the comments below!
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