UFC Star Aims to Break Bob Hawke’s Beer Drinking Record During Fight Week

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Dricus du Plessis reckons it will be sometime this Sunday evening when he gets a crack at our late, great Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

UFC 312: Du Plessis v Strickland 2 | SUN 9 FEB | UFC middleweight king Dricus du Plessis is headed back Down Under for yet another title defence, with the South African set to face Sean Strickland in a blockbuster UFC 312 headliner in Sydney. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel is the exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View.

Which, undeniably, will be something of an Australian fight first.

That, and a long way from anything this now UFC superstar thought possible when aged 16, and still a Springboks wannabe, he stood, beer in hand, among a group of mates all chanting “down … down … down …”

“Because these days,” the fighter says, smile widening at the memory, “I love a beer.

“Think it’s the best thing in the world.

“But as a kid … well, you know, it’s not exactly the tastiest thing.”

Still, with all those mates chanting in unison, the youngster skolled.

Hell, does anyone ever not?

Still, the real kicker is what came next.

“When,” du Plessis recounts, “I was fastest of all my friends.”

And soon enough, the fastest of waaaaaay more than that too.

“Which is why,” he says, “it’s become something like my party trick.”

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Dricus du Plessis and Bob Hawke.Source: News Corp Australia

Kicking back now on the verandah of Sydney’s famed Bondi Icebergs, du Plessis is talking Fox Sports Australia through what, along with his wonderfully unique fight style, is quickly becoming something of the champ’s signature – his incredible ability to skoll a beer.

A truth proved the last time this UFC champ headlined here in Australia.

When in those hours after defeating Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth, vision of South Africa’s newest fight star downing – sorry, smashing — a beer turned the internet on its head.

“Dricus du Plessis skolling a pint in about five seconds,” one pundit posted to X.

Which while obviously meant as a general statement, failed to sit right with some — who then brought out the stopwatch.

Which is how eventually, and several comments later, the general consensus put DDP’s time at a tick under 2.5 seconds.

Which is some going.

And no fluke given the videos also been posted after wins against both Australia’s Rob Whittaker and Sean Strickland, who he initially took UFC gold from a year ago.

It’s also how, eventually during the Icebergs chat, we end up at Hawkey.

All of which continues the wonderful mystery surrounding what exactly makes up of this fella some have dubbed the most unlikely champion in UFC history.

Especially when no less than Dana White says he fights “like a white guy dances”.

While Adesanya — the last guy Du Plessis beat — also made headlines recently for his “the best s*** fighter in the world” take.

And now again at UFC 312 this Sunday, du Plessis will look to win with that style likened to a gorilla on rollerskates.

In a hyped rematch too with America’s Strickland.

Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis in their first fight, at UFC 297.Source: AFP

Should DDP get up in the Qudos Bank Arena headliner, Strickland will have been twice etched onto an undefeated UFC tear already stretching eight fights and boasting the likes of Adesanya, Whittaker and Derek Brunson.

Meaning, sure, du Plessis’s fight style may be tattooed by adjectives like awkward, frustrating, even unknowable.

But there is no longer anyone doubting his power, his stamina, his grit or iron chin.

Same deal, that innate ability to go and do what matters most inside steel cages – win.

And after all that … well, he’s also the king of sinking schooners.

Or pints, cans, bottles, pilsners, snifters, steins, whatever, doesn’t matter, because in what is now 15 years of skolling beers, du Plessis insists he has never once been beat.

“Or not in a proper competition,” the champ laughs, not to brag but simply because we’ve asked.

“There may have been situations where I’ve, say, already won three times and then lost on the fourth go to a new guy who comes in.

“But as of yet, I’ve never been beat in a fair and square competition.”

Which is why, should the champ retain against Strickland, he’s promising something of a first for UFC celebrations – challenging Bob Hawke’s old Guiness Book of Records mark for downing a yard glass.

Which as those Boomers among you will know, sits at 11 seconds flat.

And according to those now famed internet videos of du Plessis crunching a can … well, the champ’s in with a shot.

Downing pints almost as quickly as they’re tipped wrong side up, du Plessis also had his great talent recently measured by a South African radio station — whose own stopwatch also clicked off around 2.5 seconds for a pint.

Which again, is some going.

Although still well outside that official world record time held by now 84-year-old Englishman Peter Dowdeswell.

Bob Hawke drinking a yard of ale. At left is then-Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.Source: News Limited

In his prime a famed competitive eater, Dowdeswell owns a stack of Guinness gongs for consuming everything from snails, haggis and mince pies through to raw eggs and jam sandwiches.

When it comes to downing a pint too, the Londoner boasts a time of just 1.6 seconds.

“Which is crazy” du Plessis says, obviously impressed when told of the mark. “And now I know there’s a record at stake, I’d better up my game.”

At which point we also explain to the champ – who is quickly becoming something of an adopted Aussie, given his proclivity for headlining here – those skolling achievements of our late, great PM.

Our longest-serving Australian Labor prime minister, Hawke led the nation for eight years from 1983 and was a regular at some of the country’s biggest sporting events including cricket Tests and Winfield Cup Grand Finals.

Yet just like DDP, he also owned a wonderful knack for downing beers and, during his formative years at Oxford University, where he became a Rhodes scholar, famously drank a yard of ale – or 1.4 litres – in just 11 seconds.

A feat which Hawke suggested years later, “would endear me to some of my fellow Australians more than anything else I ever achieved”.

When told the yarn this week, DDP grinned: “Geez, that’s somebody I could vote for.”

So as for having a crack at said mark should he again win Down Under?

“Oh, one hundred per cent,” he grinned.

“Absolutely, I’m going for that.”

And for proof, he then seeks clarity on the record saying: “So I have to do one-and-a-half litres in what time?”

Eleven seconds.

“OK, 11 seconds, I’m giving that a go,” he cackled. “I’m going to try and beat your late Prime Minister.”