UFC champion Dricus du Plessis describes SA's biggest hurdle in hosting UFC Africa

UFC overlord Dana White has long threatened to host a major UFC card in Africa. First, UFC Africa was promised when Nigerian superstar Israel Adesanya ruled the middleweight division. Then again when Cameroonian behemoth Francis Ngannou was heavyweight champion. 

But these African Kings have been dethroned and now her latest champion wants to bring the UFC to South Africa.

Speaking on the Sias du Plessis Show this week, the middleweight champion revealed what he believes to be the biggest hurdle for the UFC.

"Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie is actively busy and the UFC wants to do this, but the logistical part is a lot harder than most people would think," said the 31-year-old.

"The biggest problem that I see is that a UFC ticket in the T-Mobile Arena - I think the cheapest seat in that arena is $300. So that's R6000. The ringside seat, where the fighters walk out, is $45 000. That's R900 000. 

"So let's say we get an arena, we have a 14 000 seater, we definitely have that. But the prices are gonna be… we don't have that kind of money. Where are you going to get 14 000 people where the cheapest seat in the back is probably R10 000? That's the biggest problem we have, and that's why they need to make it big.

"[Hosting UFC Africa] is my dream, it's South Africa's dream, but the UFC's dream is making money. They're a business. They want to make it happen, they just need to find out how it's viable."

'Make it big' means the event has to be in a stadium, but the UFC has shied away from open-air arenas since 2010. The quality of their pay-per-view product is tantamount and weather could impact that. 

Quoting du Plessis, Minister McKenzie took to social media on Thursday to confirm that he is still working with partners to hopefully bring the UFC to South Africa.

"This is absolutely the truth, we proposed a stadium but that was not approved," he posted on X.

"The UFC is truly going out of their way to make a fight in Africa possible. We are at the stage where we speaking to sponsors to subsidise tickets." 

Meanwhile, du Plessis is focusing on his next title fight. After running through most of the middleweight division, the Team CIT fighter is set to face challenger Khamzat Chimaev.

"I've agreed to two dates," revealed the Pretoria native, who beat Sean Strickland via unanimous decision at UFC 312 in February.

"It's not far away. The announcement will be made soon. All these rumours that came out that I'm injured, I don't know where it came from. It was ridiculous. 

"I'm just waiting for the contract. But that is the fight that is happening. It's going to happen in the next four months."

READ MORE: UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus du Plessis rubbishes rumours of injury