Dricus Du Plessis shares unexpected story behind his Colby Covington friendship

Dricus du Plessis and Colby Covington, once at odds in the MMA sphere, have developed an unlikely friendship rooted in humour and shared beers. Du Plessis earned a dominant unanimous decision over Kamaru Usman at UFC Oklahoma City, while Covington (17–5) pulled off a surprising upset victory over Arman Tsarukyan (24–3) at RAF 11 in Milwaukee, capturing the inaugural crossover cruiserweight championship.

Covington publicly backed du Plessis heading into the Usman fight, given his own contentious history with the Nigerian Nightmare across two welterweight title bouts. The pair's bond, however, formed unexpectedly when du Plessis initially mocked Covington for recommending non-alcoholic beer to Dustin Poirier, a jab du Plessis amplified by joking that drinking alcohol-free alternatives constituted a greater transgression than Poirier's recent run-ins with the law.

Rather than escalate, Covington responded with levity, inviting du Plessis to share some regular beers and establish common ground. The invitation worked: du Plessis told Full Send MMA that the olive branch shifted his perspective. "He reached out to me. He's like, 'Listen, they have normal beers too, let's get some normal beers with you.' So, I'm a Colby fan," du Plessis explained. The friendship illustrates how MMA's rivalries and trash talk can sometimes give way to camaraderie off the cage.