Dricus Du Plessis details his plans to defeat Sean Strickland in Sydney ahead of UFC 312

Rugby loving, big game fishing, beer drinking Dricus Du Plessis is enjoying his time in Sydney ahead of UFC 312, but the real enjoyment will start once he’s put his fight with Sean Strickland to bed.

He’s a footy loving, beer-swilling, big time fishing fighting phenom, and Dricus du Plessis is right at home in Australia.

So much so that eagle eyed fight fans might have spotted a shirtless du Plessis cruising around the city on an Uber bike since the UFC middleweight champion jetted into the Harbour City last Thursday.

The South African, who defends his world title against controversial American Sean Strickland at UFC 312 on February 9 at Acer Arena, has found a second home in Australia.

He spent a few weeks as a tourist in Queensland after beating Israel Adesanya last year, and has been hitting the sights of Sydney over the past six days too.

Du Plessis is spending an unusually long time in Sydney ahead of his UFC 312 fight. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

He cut weight with a run to the Opera House and over the Harbour Bridge, is eyeing up a visit to Luna Park and touched the golden sands of Bondi.

The 31-year-old even tried some surfing, but made sure it was at the completely shark free URBNSURF complex at Olympic Park, rather than the city’s most famous beach.

“Surfing has always been something that interests me, but I’m not going in the water here,” he joked. “I don’t like sharks and sharks look like they don’t like me.”

That’s despite the fact that the keen fisherman was spotted reeling in a big grey nurse shark – or raggy – on a beach on the southern coast of South Africa during his Christmas holidays.

“I caught a big raggy, it was about 114 kilos and 2.3 metres – it was a proper shark,” he said. “Once you battle with a shark, you realise what real power is.

“Raggys, they fight hard in the beginning, and that took about 25 minutes to reel in. If you get a bronzy or something bigger, you’re looking at an hour or two hours.

“But I caught this one, took a photo and released it. It’s a beautiful animal, but I don’t want to swim with one.”

Du Plessis spent his Christmas holiday fishing for sharks. Picture: Supplied/Instagram

Celebrating his win over Israel Adesanya last year with a cold beer while wearing his Aussie akubra. Picture: Supplied/Instagram

So, how does grappling with a shark for 25 minutes compare to going five rounds with Strickland, which du Plessis did just over a year ago to win the middleweight title?

“Well, the shark’s not going to punch me in the face, so that helps,” he said. “But no, the fight is definitely harder.”

A superstar back home, DDP is mobbed by adoring fans whenever he steps out in public in South Africa.

He’s able to move more freely in Sydney, and says the fans have been incredible.

That’s a big part of the reason ‘Still Knocks’ decided to travel to Australia nearly three full weeks before the fight, rather than the standard seven days.

“Everyone has been so friendly and accommodating and welcoming,” he said. “I absolutely love it here. Sydney is amazing, it’s just such a beautiful place – it reminds a little bit of Cape Town actually.

A rugby fanatic who played age-group footy for South Africa, du Plessis says a few Springboks will be in attendance in Sydney when he fights Strickland. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images

“I’m staying busy and seeing what the city has to offer.

“When you’re this close to a fight, you’re thinking about food, and sitting around and waiting, it’s not for me.

“So I’m trying to stay busy. I’ve been riding the Uber bicycles, so quite a few people have seen me riding around the city without a shirt.

“Australia has been good to me, we got that big win in Perth and we’re going to do the same against Strickland.”

The build up to their first fight was ugly, and Du Plessis has a point to prove second time around. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Their first fight was overshadowed by an ugly build-up filled with wild slurs and even death threats before du Plessis won the middleweight title off Strickland via split decision.

He says it won’t be as close this time.

“I want to finish off this chapter with Strickland,” he said. “This fight might see the champion rounds, but I can guarantee you it won’t see the final bell.”

Then, it’s celebrating in the best way he knows how: With a few cold beers at one of the many pubs he’s spotted but hasn’t yet been able to attend.

“I’ve been seeing Sydney, but post-fight Sydney is very different to pre-fight Sydney, so I’m glad to be staying a few days afterwards,” he said. “My friend Jackson (social media star Jackson O’Doherty), he just arrived yesterday, so I’m pretty sure he knows all the good spots.”

Originally published as Dricus Du Plessis details his plans to defeat Sean Strickland in Sydney ahead of UFC 312