Coaches are an inseparable part of any sportsperson’s life. Almost every MMA fan knows how Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father created a UFC world champion out of him through his intense coaching. There are several other fighters as well who have witnessed an immense development in their overall game with improved coaching. The noted UFC middleweight Dricus Du Plessis’s story presents a similar example.
Most fans may remember how Du Plessis walked into his UFC 290 fight against Robert Whittaker as a +300 underdog. But once the fight started, he pretty much looked like the favorite. Du Plessis also achieved a TKO victory over the heavily favored, Whittaker, earning himself a shot at the middleweight gold. After his victory, ‘Stillknocks’ revealed that it was his coach, Morne Visser, who deserved all the credit.
At the post-UFC 290 press meet, the South African lauded his coach for coming up with an incredible gameplan that helped him achieve the victory. Du Plessis mentioned:
“I think the game plan, my coach, Morne Visser, is obviously a guru at this. He is the man who put this all together, coming out and fighting Southpaw against a guy like Whitaker.”
Well, Du Plessis’s words itself stand as proof of the immense importance that his coach, Visser, has in his life. But, a sizable chunk of the UFC community has also made a few untoward remarks about his relationship with his coach. Moreover, that chunk of people also include the current UFC middleweight champ and his upcoming rival, Sean Strickland.
Sean Strickland has even made foul remarks about the sexuality of Dricus Du Plessis
UFC audiences have witnessed Visser getting ecstatic after Du Plessis’s victories just like any other coach. But he has also been witnessed kissing Du Plessis on a few occasions after his victories. Strickland decided to pick on this rather unusual relationship between ‘Stillknocks’ and his coach and even raised questions about his upcoming UFC 297 rival’s sexuality.
At a recent UFC press conference, Strickland made a severely deriding remark that reads:
“Go f**k your coach you f*ggot”
Strickland’s words now have a large chunk of the UFC community talking about the same. But there is another section of fans who aren’t bothered about all of this. The fact that Du Plessis will be fighting for the middleweight title at UFC 297 itself proves that Visser is of immense importance to him. It will be pretty interesting to witness if his superb gameplan can finally make his disciple the UFC middleweight king.
