“I love it. Think it’s the best thing in the world,” Dricus Du Plessis had told FOX Sports before his title clash with Sean Strickland. And true to his word, the South African gold standard wasted no time getting to his “best thing.” The middleweight champion did exactly what he promised, celebrate his UFC 312 victory in style, immediately and without hesitation. But what should have been a moment of pure, frothy triumph quickly turned into a social media circus.

Was it a fun-loving party trick, or was the UFC middleweight champion tempting fate? With cameras rolling, ‘Stillknocks’ annihilated a beer faster than his opponents, and fans had plenty to say about it. Well if we go down the memory lane, over-the-top post-fight antics are practically a UFC tradition.

Tito Ortiz regularly played gravedigger for his vanquished foes complete with an imaginary shovel and some dramatic dirt-flinging. BJ Penn casually turned into a vampire, licking blood off his gloves like it was a fine vintage. And Justin Gaethje, no matter how battered, insists on launching himself off the cage like a human crash test dummy. During his war with Michael Johnson, he was too exhausted to land it on the first try, but he kept going until he did.

Compared to that level of lunacy, the South African slugger shotgunning a beer seems downright responsible. Coming to Du Plessis, he even claimed he was the fastest drinker among his friends. Seems like he is making the art of beer-chugging his unofficial victory dance. And in Sydney, he put on a double feature. Handling business inside the Octagon before handling a cold one outside of it! But was this a celebration or a cautionary tale? Some fans weren’t so sure.

If you know Du Plessis, you know this wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment decision. The man is a seasoned beer enthusiast. He once bragged about never losing a fair-and-square drinking competition, well, almost never. “There may have been situations where I’ve, say, already won three times and then lost on the fourth go to a new guy,” he admitted. But mostly, he’s been an undefeated champ in two arenas.

Given his history, it’s no shocker that after steamrolling Sean Strickland at UFC 312, he didn’t hesitate to raise a beer in celebration. This time, a fan’s beer, as posted by HappyPunch on Instagram. Though he didn’t go full Tai Tuivasa mode (the Aussie fan favorite is infamous for chugging beer from a shoe), Du Plessis still did his fair share of celebratory drinking.

And let’s not forget, this was Australia, the land where the beer flows freer than logic on X. If there was ever a place to showcase his “party trick,” this was it. It’s clear that the beer chug has left fans divided. Some see it as a lighthearted moment that makes Du Plessis even more relatable, while others think it was a reckless move for a professional athlete. Let’s see what the hubbub is all about!

“Chugged it like a champ” — MMA Fans left in turmoil regarding Dricus du Plessis’ act

“That’s risky. Could have gotten spiked and failed a drug test,” one fan pointed out because apparently, every post-fight beer should come with a forensic lab test. Others saw no problem with it. “Chugged it like a champ,” another fan cheered. But then came the doom prophets, with one sarcastically suggesting, “UFC fighter in critical condition after drinking a beer laced with what is suspected to be fentanyl!” Makes for a great headline because clearly, sipping a beer (or what mere mortals would consider an Olympic-level chug, given Dricus’ turbo mode) is the new Russian roulette.

But should an elite fighter be this open about his drinking habits? Some might argue it makes him more human. Others believe it sets a dangerous precedent. “Hell yeah, bro, after a victory be the same way. All men can relate,” an ardent supporter commented. Meanwhile, another joked, “Imagine paying $20 for a beer and a 200 lb white African slams it in 3 seconds.” The audacity! But one thing is for sure- Dricus is truly a ‘real African’ minus the pun in his rivalry with Izzy.

And of course, there were the conspiracy theorists. “The booster$ proved it didn’t work. Where is the incentive to succeed if the companies lack accountability for side effects?” one fan wrote, in what can only be described as a masterclass in making everything about vaccines.

“Dricus is definitely a chill guy. Hope him & Khamzat have a great battle.” A classic nod to the “chill guy” meme, fans are leaning into Du Plessis’ relaxed and unbothered demeanor. Whether it’s beer chugging, fighting, or just handling media scrutiny, Dricus Du Plessis remains unfazed.

With Khamzat Chimaev as a potential next opponent, will we see if this “chill guy” persona carries over when the heat is on inside the Octagon? So what do you think? Will he be chugging another one after his dance with the Chechen Wolf? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!