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In an unexpected twist of fate, Hollywood played a role in shaping the journey of UFC’s newest middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis. The South African fighter’s rise to the top is a story of grit, determination, and—believe it or not—a connection to an Amber Heard movie.
And while du Plessis’ success is undoubtedly the result of his years of hard work and dedication to the sport, he has revealed that it was the 2008 sports action dramaNever Back Downthat set him on the path to becoming the UFC Middleweight Champion.
Dricus du Plessis creditsNever Back Downas the inspiration for his MMA career
Ahead of his much-anticipated fight againstSean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis has revealed what inspired him to pursue a career in MMA. Discussing his early interest in the sport, du Plessis shared that he hadbeen fascinated by the sportfrom a young age.
“I have been buying the Fighters Only magazine since I was 13 years old, and in the back, they used to show those techniques in the photo section,”he shared during his recent appearance on theMightyCastpodcast.
However, it was the 2008 filmNever Back Downthat truly solidified his passion for MMA.“I was so into the sport, I watched fight movies,”he said.
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The MMA star further explained,
Never Back Down was a movie that came out when I was 14… That was the movie that motivated me to become a professional MMA fighter. I was like, ‘This is the coolest thing ever—wow, the guy is beating up his enemy, he’s getting the hot girl—this is it. This is what I want to do.’
Starring Sean Faris,Amber Heard, and Cam Gigandet, the 2008 film follows troubled teenager Jake Tyler, who moves to a new town and gets drawn into the world of underground mixed martial arts.
WhileNever Back Downreceived mixed to negative reviews upon release, facing criticism for its reliance on clichés and a somewhat superficial portrayal of the sport, it has been quite popular among MMA fans and spawned three sequels.
Dricus du Plessis reflected on his first amateur MMA fight at the age of 16
During his conversation on theMightyCastpodcast, Dricus du Plessis also opened up about his very first amateur MMA fight, which he revealed took place when he was just 16 years old with no prior experience in mixed martial arts.
The UFC star shared that he beganhis journey in combat sportswith a strong foundation in wrestling and Judo. However, it was while attending a kickboxing tournament that the young fighter unexpectedly found himself stepping into an MMA match.
“I actually had an MMA fight at 16 with no experience whatsoever,”he shared as he explained how he ended up finding himself in the MMA arena.
I was there for a kickboxing tournament but they… they said there’s only an MMA fight in my weight, and I said, cool, I’ll do it.
He further shared,“I went in the first thing I did… was hit the guy with a double leg sat on top of him, and started pounding, ground and pound that’s how I won the fight.”
Du Plessis also shared that MMA had always been“the ultimate fight sport,”for him, saying,“That was just because of the passion I always had MMA as the end destination.”
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Dricus du Plessis began his career in combat sports with a background in wrestling, Judo, and K1 kickboxing, all of which laid the foundation for his transition into MMA.
Afterwinninga gold medal in K-1 style kickboxing at the WAKO World Championships in 2012, he decided to transition into MMA and quickly gained recognition for his aggressive fighting style.
Laxmi Rajput
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3448
Laxmi Rajput is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, with over 3,300 articles published covering film, TV, and pop culture. With a degree in Broadcast Journalism and over three years of experience in content writing, she pivoted to entertainment journalism because let’s be honest, superheroes, sitcoms, and Netflix binges are way more fun. Laxmi frequently covers Marvel, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and popular TV shows, offering both fan-first enthusiasm and thoughtful analysis. Her work often dives into Marvel theories, revisits the genius of The Big Bang Theory, or unpacks the Netflix phenomenon of Stranger Things.
