UQHUBEKILE nokubeka iNingizimu Afrika ebalazweni lomhlaba umpetha we-UFC, uDricus Du Plessis, evikela ngempumelelo ibhande lakhe le-middleweight kuSean Strickland eSydney, e-Australia.
UDu Plessis obezwakalisa inzondo yembangi yakhe ngaphambi kwempi, unqobe ngamaphuzu. Amajaji womathathu avumelene ngokuthi kusamfanele ukugoduka nebhande lakhe, emnika impi ngo-50-45, 50-45, 49-46. Bekungokwesibili uDu Plessis evikela ibhande le-middleweight alinqobe kuyena uStrickland wase-America, nyakenye. Ulivikele ngempumelelo okokuqala ku-Israel Adesanya ongowokuzalwa eNigeria, ngo-Agasti nyakenye. Ukuzibeka ethubeni lokuzama ukubuyisa ibhande lakhe, uStrickland wehlule uPaulo Costa waseBrazil.
Nakuba uDu Plessis ebezimisele ngomngqimuzo womlalisa phansi kodwa kugcine kungenzekanga njengoba iphelile imizuliswano emihlanu esamile uStrickland. Ngomzuliswano wesine, uDu Plessis udedele udalimede besibhakela owephule ikhala likaStrickland, kwaphophoza igazi. Bekubhekwe ukuthi uStrickland uzoyiyeka impi kodwa waqhubeka.
Emuva kwempi, uDu Plessis uthe: “Kunzima ukufika lapha uzame ukwehlula le ndoda ngomngqimuzo womlalisa phansi. Ngifisa sengathi singadlala futhi kodwa akuyona into edlalelwayo leyo. Bengifuna aphose ithawula, ngiwine ngomngqimuzo womlalisa phansi noma ngizenzele kule mizuliswano emihlanu. Yilokho engikwenzile. Ngenze konke okusemandleni.”
Ukungezwani kukaDu Plessis noStrickland kwenze impi yaba nesasasa kodwa ngemuva kwayo kubonakele ukuthi konke kuphelele kwi-octagon.
UDu Plessis udalule amazwi awashilo kule mbangi ngaphambi kwempi.
“Bengimtshelile ukuthi mubi ngoba akayena umuntu omuhle. Kodwa ngesikhathi ngimbuka emuva kokumshaya ekhaleni, ngithe ”Angikholwa ukuthi usumubi kakhulu’’ futhi ngempela ubenjalo. Ngamtshela ukuthi “Ikhala lakho lonakele manje,” kusho uDu Plessis ngemuva kwempi.