Dricus Du Plessis • Stats, Record and Fight History

BIO

FIGHTS

STATS

UFC HISTORY & CAREER

• UFC 319(8/16/25) Du Plessis lost a five round unanimous decision to Khamzat Chimaev, losing his UFC middleweight title
• UFC 312(2/8/25) Du Plessis won a five round unanimous decision over Sean Strickland to retain his UFC middleweight title
• UFC 305(8/17/24) Du Plessis submitted Israel Adesanya via rear-naked choke at 3:38 of the fourth round to retain his UFC middleweight title
• UFC 297(1/20/24) Du Plessis won a five round split decision over Sean Strickland to win the UFC middleweight title
• UFC 290(7/8/23) Du Plessis stopped Robert Whittaker via strikes at 2:23 of the second round
• UFC 285(3/4/23) Du Plessis defeated Derek Brunson via TKO (corner stoppage) at 4:59 of the second round
• UFC 282(12/10/22) Du Plessis submitted Darren Till via face crank at 2:43 of the third round
• UFC 276(7/2/22) Du Plessis won a three-round unanimous decision over Brad Tavares
• UFC 264(7/10/21) Du Plessis knocked out Trevin Giles at 1:41 of the second round
• UFC Fight Night(10/11/20) Du Plessis knocked out Markus Perez at 3:22 of the first round

IMPORTANT FACTS

Pro since 2013

Has won 19 of his last 21

Nine wins by KO, 11 by submission (4 guillotine, 5 RNC, 2 face crank)

Eight first-round finishes

Lost 2014 bout to UFC vet Garreth McLellan

Origin of nickname: “Given by my brother after my amateur K-1 career, where my record was 33-0 with 30 KOs.”

Q & A

Q: When and why did you start training for fighting?

ANSWER: Started Judo at the age of 5 to10, then wrestling at 12-14 years old. I always had a love for martial arts and started K-1 when I was 15. At age 18, I became the first ever South African WAKO K-1 world champion and then MMA was the next step. I started fighting because I loved it from the first day I stepped in a gym.

Q: What professional titles have you held?

ANSWER: WAKO Jnr World Champion, EFC Welterweight Champion, EFC Middleweight Champion, KSW Welterweight Champion, UFC Middleweight Champion

Q: Any accomplishments in amateur combat sports?

ANSWER: WAKO World Championship

Q: What has been your toughest fight to date and why?

ANSWER: Strickland, first 5 Round Fight

Q: Who is your favorite fighter and why?

ANSWER: Anderson Silva. His reign as middleweight champion

Q: Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn?

ANSWER: I studied Agricultural Economics at the University of Pretoria but dropped out in my final year when I got my shot at my EFC title to give fighting my everything and be fully committed to become the greatest fighter the world has ever seen.

Q: What was your job before you started fighting?

ANSWER: Never had another job. After school, being a professional fighter has been my only job.