Black South Africans rally behind Khamzat Chimaev after Du Plessis’ UFC 319 loss
Khamzat Chimaev stunned the MMA world on Sunday night, dethroning South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis to claim the UFC middleweight title at UFC 319 in Chicago.
The Chechen-born fighter dominated from start to finish, using relentless wrestling to secure a unanimous decision victory with a clean sweep of 50-44 on all three judges’ scorecards.
While Du Plessis has long been hailed as a national hero, his defeat triggered an unexpected wave of support for Chimaev among many Black South Africans.
Social media was flooded with posts praising the new champion, many linking Du Plessis’ loss to his controversial political stances, including his vocal support for U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Congrats Khamzat, you have solved our problem here,” one user wrote on X, while another user described him as an “Amerikaaner fighter,” celebrating his downfall.
Du Plessis, however, remained humble in defeat. “Big ups to Khamzat, he deserves this 100%. He beat me fair and square… I’ll be back,” he said after the bout.
South Africa’s Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie also offered encouragement, saying Du Plessis would “come back stronger.”
Chimaev, now the UFC’s new middleweight king, paid tribute to his opponent, calling him “a real Lion, an African Lion.”
His respectful words struck a chord with some South Africans, with one fan declaring, “South Africa is proud of you.”
The result has revealed sharp divisions in South African MMA fandom. For now, Chimaev stands at the top of the division, while Du Plessis has vowed to fight his way back.