From UFC to rugby to cricket, South Africans turned losses into laughs, flooding our timelines with memes and jokes.
South Africa (18 August 2025) – South African sports fans went into this past weekend buzzing with excitement. The Springboks were up against Australia, the Proteas were in action, and Dricus du Plessis was defending his UFC title. It was set up to be a festival of green-and-gold glory.
By Sunday morning? Not so much. Du Plessis lost his belt to Khamzat Chimaev. The Boks went down 22-38 to the Wallabies. While the Proteas slipped by two wickets against Australia. Instead of celebrations, fans were left humbled, licking their wounds.
But if there’s one thing South Africans do better than most, it’s laugh through the pain. Social media quickly turned into a comedy stage, with memes and videos capturing exactly how the nation was feeling.
One viral clip was captioned: “Me trying to make sense of the Springboks loss.” The video shows a guy at game night staring blankly, trying to follow what’s happening, but failing to understand. It mirrored what so many Bok fans felt as Australia flipped the game.
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Another creator leaned in, saying they don’t really like sports anyway. So now they are reconnecting with nature, because apparently, nature doesn’t ever break your heart. After a weekend of losses, it seems like hiking suddenly became a safer hobby.
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Then there was the clip of one fan jokingly sending a voice note to the Springboks’ official Instagram page demanding an explanation.
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But here is a glimmer of hope for South African sports fans. The Springboks face Australia again this Saturday. The Proteas begin their first of three ODIs against Australia. And Dricus will soon clinch back the UFC Middleweight belt.
Yes, our sporting giants did not succeed this time, but South Africa’s spirit wasn’t crushed. Instead of sulking, fans filled the internet with laughter, proving once again that even a losing weekend can feel like a winning one.
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