Media Du Plessis says he's likely to wait out for months, looking for legacy of bringing UFC to Africa

[Unheralded Truth]

On where he's at:

"I can walk normally again, that's what a couple of days of holiday will do. We weren't supposed to go on holiday, but we touched down 7 in the morning on the 25th.
And we had this amazing welcome at the airport, it was amazing but we only got back to Pretoria, to my house at 4 in the afternoon. After a 28 hour flight.
It was amazing to see all the support, but hard to keep my eyes open and I was a little bit under the weather and I mean, I went to Jacobsbay to a friend of mine.
Supposed to stay for just two days but ended up staying four. I mean there was no people there, just the beach. It made me heal faster, I mean, I didn't get up for two
days. I just slept there."

On what's next:

"Uh, right now I don't have a date to be honest. When I get back to Petoria now we'll do the MRI's. We've done some scans making sure of brain health. All of those
things, I mean we have a long career ahead of us and just in terms of making sure the right pacing... I mean, we just won a world title. And obviously this last year it
was fight after fight after fight. And sometimes I was injured, having to take a fight. Sometimes when you get these opportunities you don't know when they are coming
again, so you have to because it's a chance to step towards the belt. Now we have the belt so we don't have to take unnecessary risks. I want the best fight for me,
for South Africa, for the people and the fight they wanna see."

"Other than that, I want to bring the UFC to South Africa. That's what needs to happen, you know that's legacy. If I have to wait it out for some months then I'm willing
to do that. Because fighting at a big event is one thing, defending my belt is one thing, but it's been done before. UFC on African soil, on home soil, has never been
done. That's legacy and that's gonna be remembered forever. And that's what we want."

 

[Contempt]

Fuck off, just defend the damn belt.

WTF is this with people getting the title then immediately turning into divas?

Say what you like abut Strickland, the fucker just likes to fight and would always stay active.

 

[World eater]

While I understand his standpoint, waiting for too long is just stalling. I’m all for him defending in Africa, but does it have to be the first defense? Or is he worried there will never be a second?

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Izzy vs Sean Interim at UFC 300

 

[Mr Dilkington]

This seems pretty common, both Dricus and Pennington who won their belts recently have both now said they don't want to defend right away.

It's frustrating for fans, but I can sort of understand it. Fighters see the belt as the goal they've been working towards for years, in the case of Pennington, almost 10 years in the UFC alone.

 

[fortheo]

He just won the belt. Sitting out a couple months then fighting in the summer or something would be the norm for what champions do. And he is right -- now that he's the champ, he doesn't have to take unnecessary risks.

 

[NoSmilez]

He can take his 6 months off. I am ok with twice a year.

 

[TeenageMutantLesnarTurtle]

Its not really deserved for Izzy to get an immediate shot, but still, Izzy/DDP for an Africa card would be pretty great. Its a shame Ngannou isnt available too.

 

[Black9]

If DDP is out, that only leaves Izzy vs Alex for UFC 300 then?
Unless Islam makes an exception and returns to fight Leon.

 

[WokeWarrior]

Talk about entitlement.
Either vacate or Fight. Im not hearing nothing else.


And lastly DDP.... bro....stop. you doing way too much.
Regardless of where you think you were born or raised
YOU WILL NEVER EVER BE THAT GUY #NO_ONES_IMPRESSED

 

[Paulsp]

Izzy vs chimeav intermin for 300 it is then

 

[Ozze]

It's not like the UFC are just gonna pull out a South Africa event out of their asses in 6 months, so just fucking defend it anywhere while pressuring for this to happen.

 

[PhilMcCavity]

Soooo many lit places to hold a bumpin ufc event in the sick/fresh continent of Africa. Forget du plex and ufc Cape Town hot about ufc Benghazi or ufc Khartoum. Dana needs to book some dope cards all over the continent (ufc Equatorial Guinea).

 

[Royce's Gi]

FIRST AFRICAN CHAMP!

 

[Myrddin Wild]

I'm starting to see how teh UFC could justify an interim fight between Izzy & Khamzat.

Note: I don't agree... I'm just seeing how that could be justified with DDP holding out for a future card that isn't made yet in a country that has never had a prior card.

 

[arcadeperfect]

Fuck off, just defend the damn belt.

WTF is this with people getting the title then immediately turning into divas?

Say what you like abut Strickland, the fucker just likes to fight and would always stay active.

Everyone wants to stretch out and milk their title reign.

 

[Fjord]

Oh boy. Who would’ve thought he was going to turn into such a diva. Seems like the division already needs an interim title fight.

 

[Gamer2k4]

now that he's the champ, he doesn't have to take unnecessary risks.

It's not an "unnecessary risk" to defend your title. It's the expectation of a champion.

 

[Blastbeat]

i wish Sean wouldve won. he would've stayed an active champ. hopefully he can get the belt again.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

Anyone bitching about champions not taking as much risks about fighting injured doesn't pay much attention to MMA, this happens with almost any fighter that becomes champion. Besides, based on what he said he hasn't even been asked to defend his belt yet anyway so it's not like he is even delaying anything.