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Sports Desk • Mma

Dricus du Plessis

Dricus du Plessis is a South African mixed martial artist who competes in the UFC middleweight division.

Updated September 12, 20261 min readCited sources

Dricus du Plessis is a South African mixed martial artist who became the first fighter from his country to win a UFC championship. He competes in the middleweight division and has held titles in multiple promotions.

What it is

Dricus du Plessis, nicknamed DDP, is a professional MMA fighter born on 14 January 1994 in Welkom, South Africa. He competes in the UFC middleweight division and previously held championship belts in EFC (welterweight and middleweight) and KSW (welterweight).

Why it matters

Du Plessis made history as the first South African to win a UFC title when he defeated Sean Strickland in 2024 to claim the UFC Middleweight Championship. He held the belt until 2025, when he lost it to Khamzat Chimaev. His success highlights the growing global reach of MMA beyond traditional strongholds.

Key details

As of the latest cited results, du Plessis has a professional MMA record of 23-3-0, with a UFC-specific record of 10-1-0. He is ranked near the top of the UFC middleweight division. His nickname DDP is widely used in fight promotions.

In short

  • First South African UFC champion, winning the middleweight title in 2024.
  • Beat Sean Strickland for the belt; lost it to Khamzat Chimaev in 2025.
  • Also a former champion in EFC and KSW promotions.
  • Professional record stands at 23-3-0 as of latest results.

Quick questions

Who is Dricus du Plessis?
Dricus du Plessis is a South African professional mixed martial artist and former UFC Middleweight Champion.
What is Dricus du Plessis' UFC record?
The cited results list him at 10-1-0 in UFC-specific statistics, while his overall professional MMA record is 23-3-0.
Who did Dricus du Plessis beat for the title?
He defeated Sean Strickland to win the UFC Middleweight Championship.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dricus_du_Plessis
    Supports: Birth date, nationality, UFC middleweight status, former UFC title, first South African UFC champion, other championships.
  2. UFC — https://www.ufc.com/athlete/dricus-du-plessis
    Supports: UFC fighter profile and fight result information.
  3. ESPN — https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3166126/dricus-du-plessis
    Supports: Birth date, UFC record, and fight history including title bouts.
  4. Sherdog — https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Dricus-Du-Plessis-146193
    Supports: Age, professional record, and fight history.
  5. Stillknocks.com — https://stillknocks.com/about/
    Supports: Birthplace and background biography.