Gary Lemke looks ahead towards a jam-packed sporting weekend as Dricus du Plessis faces his biggest UFC test, and the Springboks welcome the Wallabies to Ellis Park.
DU PLESSIS READY FOR BIGGEST TEST
When it comes to elite fighting, the adage “a good big ‘un will beat a good little ‘un” has stood the test of time. It’s why a heavyweight like George Foreman would knock out Joe Frazier every day of the week.
Dricus du Plessis is naturally bigger (despite the height, which suggests otherwise) than the most dangerous opponent he’s ever faced in MMA, Khamzat Chimaev, who steps up to challenge for the South African’s UFC middleweight title at UFC 319 in Chicago.
Chimaev is undefeated (14-0) and hyped (he’s the 1-2 favourite). That tag has applied to most of Du Plessis’ opponents! Chimaev last fought Robert Whittaker in October 2024 and might have some octagon rust.
Some stats don’t lie, and the stats tell us that Du Plessis is the better striker, Chimaev the better grappler. Du Plessis walks around at 100kg, while his fight weight is 84kg. He’s a big man facing his biggest test.
BOKS TO GIVE WALLABIES A WINTER WELCOME
The above headline sentiment doesn’t apply to Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks who open their Rugby Championship campaign with back-to-back home Tests against the Wallabies.
Their opening is at Ellis Park, where the Boks have been installed as favourites to win by 18 points. That’s a big spread the world champions have to cover, coming up against an Australian side sharpened by three matches (albeit losing them 2-1) to the British & Irish Lions.
Australia have been banging on about how they stood up to the Lions so physically; let’s just say that the likes of Eben Etzebeth, Pieter Steph-du Toit, Siya Kolisi, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche and teammates are no shrinking violets.
Rassie this week said he was happy where the Boks were at, with the 2027 World Cup in mind. He’s likely to ensure there are more parties on Saturday night. In the other match, the All Blacks are eight-point favourites to beat Argentina, away.
UNITED AND ARSENAL GET DOWN TO BUSINESS
And they’re off! Liverpool open up the 2025/26 English Premier League season with a Friday night showdown at Anfield against Bournemouth, as gentle a start to a campaign as can be hoped for if you’re the defending champions.
It should be one of the more predictable matches on opening weekend – certainly, the likes of Aston Villa vs Newcastle, Man United vs Arsenal, Leeds vs Everton and even Sunderland vs West Ham and Brighton vs Fulham, will have many going for the draw on their Superbru.
Match of the weekend is at Old Trafford where United take on Arsenal. Both have been active in the transfer window with new-look firepower up front. Titles can’t be won on the first weekend, but can they be lost?
BREWIS MAKES BATTING LOOK EASY
Dewald Brewis showed what all the fuss has been about when he struck an unbeaten 125 off 56 balls to set South Africa’s highest individual score for a batsman in T20 cricket in Darwin, against Australia no less.
The teams go into the third and final T20 at 1-1, both wins coming from the side batting first. The format and strict rules relating to powerplay fielding restrictions, flat batting surfaces, short balls and legside, has made it a sport for those with bat in hand. In the first T20 it was Australia’s Tim David.
In the second, it was Brewis. Whoever steps up to the plate – a baseball term used deliberately – will help their side win the decider before they go on to the slightly more balanced format, the 50-overs. Warning to Australia: Brewis is not the only Proteas player who can clear the ropes …
LIV GOLF CONTINUES TO BULGE THE POCKETS
The penultimate event on the 2025 LIV calendar takes place in Indianapolis with the Stingers cleaning up in Chicago last week. South Africans love to refer to the exchange rate when comparing prices – be it for a beer in London, or a flat rental in Paris – and much was made of the fact that Dean Burmester’s win in Chicago was worth R70-million.
It’s hard to argue with those players who took the cash on offer from the Saudi-based LIV circuit, even if their reasons for doing so were mainly to “play less, travel less and grow the game”.
LIV golf still doesn’t have the broadcast numbers of the established tours, and there might only be two genuine “top tenners” – Jon Rahm and Bryson Dechambeau – on the roster, while the likes of megastars Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia have long seen better days. However, for South Africa’s Stingers quartet is a case of win-win, all the way to the bank.
ALSO ON THE RADAR …
Bafana Bafana need at least a draw against Group C table-toppers Uganda to have a chance of progressing to the quarter-finals of the CHAN (African Nations Championship) in Kenya … After three rounds of the Currie Cup, there are no unbeaten teams, and the Pumas top the log.
The picture will change again after this weekend, where there are four games, the Pumas hosting the Golden Lions, the pick in terms of significance …
We’re in Austria this weekend for the 13th of 22 rounds, and the only real question is which of the Marques brothers will take the checkered flag. Marc has won seven of 12 MotoGPs so far, with Alex taking two. Brad Binder is treading water in 12th on the overall standings.