Dricus Du Plessis Explains Killer Championship Mentality Going into UFC 312
Dricus Du Plessis recently revealed the mental framework that he believes is key to being a champion.
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“The mindset that you have to be willing to die when you get in there. You have to, but that’s a minimum requirement,” Du Plessis recently told Mark Bouris. “The harder part is, can you kill a man when you have to? Yes, I can. So I’m willing to die and I’m willing to take that life. I know that. When I go in there, if the ref doesn’t stop it, I’m not stopping. I can be sitting on you for 10 minutes, bashing your face and if the ref doesn’t stay, ‘Stop,’ I’m not stopping. And that is the question that me as a modern day gladiator has to ask myself. Am I still willing to die? Absolutely, that’s easy. It’s are you willing to kill a man in front of his family? Yes, I am. And that’s why I’m the world champion. Because I say yes to that question every single time.”
🗣️ Dricus du Plessis: “Am I willing to die? Absolutely, that’s easy. It’s ‘are you willing to kill a man in front of his family’. Yes, I am. That’s why I’m the world champion.” 🥶🥶
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 3, 2025
🎥 @markbouris #UFC312pic.twitter.com/uI8mmNsHbk
Undefeated in eight UFC outings, Du Plessis won the middleweight title with a close split-decision win over Sean Strickland at UFC 297 last year. He went on to defend his throne against former champ Israel Adesanya via submission at UFC 305 this past August. Meanwhile, Strickland bounced back with a split-decision win over Paulo Costa and remained adamant on a rematch against du Plessis. Strickland now gets that chance to reclaim the crown against Du Plessis in the main event at UFC 312 on Saturday at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.
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