By Razeen Gutta
After Dricus du Plessis triumphed over Israel Adesanya in Perth, South African fans are excited about the possibility of hosting his next UFC middleweight title fight in the country.
UFC president Dana White said that if Du Plessis won, South Africa might get the chance to host a major UFC event.
Now that the win is in the bag, planning has started – but it’s not as easy as it seemed.
UFC senior vice president David Shaw explained some of the challenges.
“The Dricus situation is tough. When we come to Africa, we want to make a good first impression, so do we want to hold an event in the middle of the night?” he said, speaking to the time difference between South Africa and the USA.
Shaw also mentioned money issues.
“What are the financial challenges of bringing a pay-per-view event to South Africa? How does the income from ticket sales compare to other locations?”
One big problem is that the largest indoor venue in South Africa, Sun Arena at Times Square in Pretoria, can only hold 10,000 people, which is too small for a UFC event.
Hosting an outdoor event is also risky because the weather is unpredictable, and none of the major stadiums in South Africa have roofs.
Despite these challenges, planning is moving forward, and Dana White is determined to make it happen.
“What’s clear is that if Dana wants to do something for the fans and to grow the sport, he will make it happen, despite the challenges. So, this will likely happen in 2025; we don’t want to wait much longer,” Shaw said.
The UFC has never held an event in Africa.
Pictured above: Dricus du Plessis.
Source: @africafactszone
