Dricus du Plessis

Representing  South Africa

Amateur kickboxing

WAKO Junior World Championships

2012 Bratislava -86kg (K-1) | | | 2012 Bratislava | -86kg (K-1) | | | | | | | | | 2012 Bratislava | -86kg (K-1) | | |

Dricus du Plessis (born 14 January 1994), also known by his initials DDP, is a South African professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the former UFC Middleweight Champion. He is the first South African to win a UFC championship. As of 19 August 2025, he is #1 in the UFC middleweight rankings, and as of 17 March 2026, he is #12 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings. Outside of the UFC, du Plessis is also the former Welterweight and Middleweight Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) Champion, and the former Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki (KSW) Welterweight Champion.

Du Plessis is an Afrikaner, and was born in Welkom, South Africa. Du Plessis began training in judo at the age of five, followed by wrestling at twelve, then kickboxing at fourteen. In 2012, at 17 years old, du Plessis became South Africa's first ever medalist at the WAKO World Championships by winning gold in K-1 style kickboxing, but decided to transition to mixed martial arts after realising there was not as much money in kickboxing. Along with martial arts, du Plessis also played rugby throughout his schooling years, and has since been a vocal supporter of the Springboks, South Africa's national rugby team. He attended the University of Pretoria, where he studied agricultural economics but dropped out during the final year in order to pursue a career in mixed martial arts.

Du Plessis had three amateur bouts before he made his professional debut in 2013, compiling a 4–0 record before facing future UFC fighter and then-EFC Middleweight Champion Garreth McLellan at EFC Africa 33, losing via guillotine choke submission in the third round.

In June 2015, du Plessis made his welterweight debut at EFC Africa 40 against Dino Bagattin, winning via a second-round rear-naked choke submission. After going 3–0 in 2015, du Plessis faced veteran striker Martin van Staden at EFC 50 for the vacant EFC Welterweight Championship. Du Plessis won via guillotine choke submission in the third round. Du Plessis was later set to defend his title against one of its former holders, Henry Fadipe. However, the bout was cancelled when Fadipe encountered issues with his visa.

Du Plessis returned to EFC in 2017, defeating Brazilian Mauricio Da Rocha Jr. in a welterweight contest before facing Yannick Bahati at EFC Africa 62 for the Middleweight Championship. Du Plessis won by guillotine choke at 1:30 of the first round, becoming a two-division champion within the promotion.

In 2018, du Plessis was slated to challenge Roberto Soldić for the KSW Welterweight Championship at KSW 43: Soldić vs. Du Plessis on 14 April. In an upset, du Plessis dethroned Soldic via TKO, after dropping him with a left hook. The two would later rematch at KSW 45: De Fries vs. Bedorf in October of that year, with du Plessis losing via third-round knockout.

Du Plessis fought again for KSW at KSW 50 against Joilton Santos, winning via TKO.

After Brendan Lesar upset veteran Garreth McLellan for the EFC Interim Middleweight Championship at EFC Africa 80, du Plessis was next set to face Lesar for the title at EFC Africa 83. Du Plessis won via first-round guillotine choke submission.

Du Plessis made his promotional debut against Markus Perez on 11 October 2020 at UFC Fight Night 179. He won the fight via knockout in round one.

Du Plessis was scheduled to face Trevin Giles on 20 March 2021 at UFC on ESPN 21. However, du Plessis pulled out due to visa issues which restricted his travel and was replaced by Roman Dolidze. The bout with Giles was rescheduled for 10 July 2021 on UFC 264. Du Plessis won the fight via knockout in round two. This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.

Du Plessis was scheduled to face Chris Curtis on 9 April 2022 at UFC 273. However, Curtis withdrew due to a wrist injury and was replaced by Anthony Hernandez. The bouts were yet again shuffled after Nassourdine Imavov withdrew due to visa issues, with du Plessis now facing Kelvin Gastelum. However, Gastelum withdrew a week before the event due to an undisclosed injury and his bout with du Plessis was cancelled.

Du Plessis then faced Brad Tavares at UFC 276 on 2 July 2022. He won the fight via unanimous decision.

Du Plessis faced Darren Till at UFC 282 on 10 December 2022. He won the fight via submission in round three. This fight earned him his first Fight of the Night award.

Du Plessis faced Derek Brunson on 4 March 2023, at UFC 285. He won the fight via technical knockout due to a corner stoppage at 4:59 of the second round.

Du Plessis faced former UFC Middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in a title eliminator fight on 8 July 2023, at UFC 290. He won the fight via technical knockout in the second round. This win earned him the Performance of the Night award and the number one contender spot in the middleweight division.

Following his defeat of Whittaker, it was expected that du Plessis would face Israel Adesanya for the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 293. However, du Plessis decided not to fight due to a leg injury, and was replaced by Sean Strickland.

Du Plessis faced Sean Strickland for the UFC Middleweight Championship on 20 January 2024, at UFC 297. The pair were in attendance at UFC 296 on 16 December 2023, seated within two rows of each-other by Dana White's arrangement. While exchanging words, Strickland gestured for audience members to move and attacked du Plessis. The brawl was quickly broken up and Strickland was escorted out of the event. At UFC 297, du Plessis won the bout by split decision, becoming the first UFC champion from South Africa. 13 out of 24 media outlets scored the bout for du Plessis. This fight earned him the Fight of the Night bonus.

Du Plessis made his first title defence against former two-time UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya on 18 August 2024 at UFC 305. He won the fight via a face crank submission in the fourth round, Adesanya's first career submission loss.

Du Plessis made his second title defence in a rematch against former champion Sean Strickland on 9 February 2025 at UFC 312. He won the fight by unanimous decision.

Du Plessis made his third title defence against undefeated contender Khamzat Chimaev on 16 August 2025 at UFC 319. He lost the title via unanimous decision.

Du Plessis fights out of an orthodox stance but rarely looks "textbook." His movement is herky-jerky, his punches loop at odd angles, and he will dive on double-legs that look more like rugby tackles than collegiate shots.
These quirks mask a clear strategy: constant forward pressure, high striking volume to head, body and legs alike, and quick level-changes that drag opponents to the mat when they start shelling up.

Critics long dismissed the style as sloppy, but du Plessis argues it is simply a fight-first approach rather than a choreography exercise. The results back him up: in his title-winning bout with Sean Strickland he maintained pace and pressure for five bloody rounds, out-landing the champion in the late frames to seal a split-decision and become South Africa's first UFC belt-holder.

Outside the Octagon, du Plessis has developed a reputation for psychological warfare, often frustrating or emotionally destabilising opponents with calm but biting trash talk. His press conference exchanges with Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland drew attention not just for the tension, but for visibly shaking both men—Adesanya became emotionally reactive during a UFC 290 face-off, while Strickland appeared rattled in the buildup to UFC 297, even attacking du Plessis before their bout.

Du Plessis is bilingual; he speaks English and Afrikaans.

In April 2023, du Plessis underwent surgery to fix a breathing impairment in his nose. According to his coach Morne Visser, du Plessis had been competing in the UFC with "only 8% oxygen" intake through his nostrils. The surgery was originally scheduled for 2020 but was put on hold after du Plessis signed with the UFC. In 2024, it was revealed that Visser would use a taser on du Plessis and other fighters' feet as a training method, using the electric shock as punishment for underperformance in the gym.

In February 2025, du Plessis stated at a press conference that the re-election of Donald Trump in the United States was "incredible", calling him "an amazing president". Du Plessis additionally lauded "fellow South African Elon Musk for also doing the right thing".

Du Plessis proposed to his fiancée Vasti Spiller on his 31st birthday—14 January 2025.

• World Association of Kickboxing Organizations

  • 2012 Junior World Championships - 1st place, -86 kg (K-1 rules)

• Ultimate Fighting Championship

  • UFC Middleweight Championship (One time)
    • Two successful title defences
    • First South African fighter to win a UFC championship
    • Tied (Rich Franklin) for fourth most UFC middleweight title wins (3)
  • Performance of the Night (Two times) vs. Trevin Giles and Robert Whittaker
  • Fight of the Night (Two times) vs. Darren Till and Sean Strickland 1
  • Tied (Chris Weidman) for third longest win streak in UFC Middleweight division history (9)
  • UFC Honors Awards
    • 2024: Fan's Choice Submission of the Year Nominee vs. Israel Adesanya
  • UFC.com Awards
    • 2023: Ranked #9 Upset of the Year vs. Robert Whittaker
    • 2024: Ranked #5 Fighter of the Year, Ranked #4 Submission of the Year vs. Israel Adesanya & Ranked #10 Fight of the Year vs. Israel Adesanya

• Extreme Fighting Championship

  • EFC Middleweight Champion (one time; former)
    • One title defence
  • EFC Welterweight Champion (one time; former)
    • One title defence

• Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki

  • KSW Welterweight Champion (one time; former)
  • Fight of the Night (one time) vs. Roberto Soldić
  • Performance of the Night (one time) vs. Roberto Soldić

• World MMA Awards

  • 2024 International Fighter of the Year

• Combat Press

  • 2023 Breakout Fighter of the Year

• ESPN

  • 2024 Submission of the Year vs. Israel Adesanya

• MMA Fighting

  • 2023 Second Team MMA All-Star
  • 2024 First Team MMA All-Star

• MMA Mania

  • 2024 #3 Ranked Fighter of the Year

• Sportsnaut

  • 2023 UFC Breakout Fighter of the Year

• List of current UFC fighters

• List of male mixed martial artists

• Professional MMA record for Dricus du Plessis from Sherdog

• Dricus du Plessis at UFC