“People's Champ”: Roland Schoeman Reacts After Dricus du Plessis’ UFC 319 Defeat
- Roland Schoeman posted a message to Dricus du Plessis on X after his defeat to Khamzat Chimaev on Sunday, 17 August 2025
- Du Plessis, who lost his championship title, had entered the fight as the underdog, with the bookies predicting a Chimaev victory
- Netizens have been divided on which side to lean, with some attacking Du Plessis and disputing Schoeman's message
Former Olympic champion Roland Schoeman has reacted to the defeat of UFC star Dricus Du Plessis by Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. South Africans were left disappointed after Du Plessis was dethroned as the UFC middleweight champion in Chicago early Sunday morning, 17 August.
The Russian-born star made it look easy, repeatedly taking the South African down and dominating the majority of the 25-minute contest. Chimaev had been rated the favourite by bookies and pundits, and he lived up to expectations against the defending champion in the United States.
Source: Getty Images
Schoeman, now based in the USA and vocal on social media, expressed his support for Du Plessis on X (formerly Twitter). He posted:
"People's champ. @dricusduplessis you’re still a legend."
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See the tweet below:
How did the fans react to Schoeman's tweet
Fans, however, were divided in their reactions:
@JayOfficials1:
"People who don't understand the sport are trying to make this some devastating political event. He played a sport and he lost this one. It happens to ALL fighters. Looking forward to the grudge match."
@Yanga_Co:
"Legend, maybe, but a champ no, he lost, remember? 🤷♂️"
@GertHendrikse:
"This was not the outcome anyone expected. Remember Strickland and Adesanya – those were real, all-out fights. What we saw here was five rounds of trying to smother Dricus, preventing him from unleashing his power. It was frustrating, yes, but make no mistake, this setback won’t define him. Dricus will regroup, come back sharper, hungrier, and stronger than ever. His story is far from over."
@WaltcoSA:
"He will rise, do his homework and go get his belt back. His trainers also have to do their homework."
@LuckyLefty99:
"These days, the word ‘legend’ gets thrown around far too easily. 🙄🙄"
Source: Getty Images
Sports Minister shows Du Plessis support
Schoeman was not the only public figure to show unwavering support for Du Plessis, as Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie also posted a message of encouragement to the former champion.
"Dricus du Plessis, you made us proud as one of the great champions, and we know you will be back. You faced a tough wrestler today, but you will come back stronger. It was hard to watch, but you never gave up, almost had him, and you’ll always be a legend. Chin up, #noDNAjustRSA 🇿🇦"
Springboks legend Bryan Habana also shared a post on X, reaffirming his support.
See the tweet below:
Dricus explains why he lost to Chimaev
Briefly News previously reported that South African UFC Middleweight fighter Dricus du Plessis has reacted to his bruising defeat at the hands of the UAE’s Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in Chicago.
The 31-year-old was the defending champion going into the fight, marking his second title defence this year after defeating Sean Strickland in February to retain the belt.
Du Plessis was dominated over five rounds and lost by unanimous decision, relinquishing his championship title and ending his unbeaten run.
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
