Dricus du Plessis biography: 13 things about UFC Middleweight Champion

Dricus du Plessis is a South African professional mixed martial artist born and raised in Hatfield, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. He is the reigning middleweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is based in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.

Du Plessis is the first ever World Association of Kickboxing Organizations K-1 World Champion from South Africa. On January 20, 2024, he made history as the first ever UFC champion from his home country.

Before joining the UFC, du Plessis competed in Extreme Fighting Championship and Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki. Here are 13 more things about him:

1. His fight name is Stillknocks.
2. He is a second-degree black belt in kickboxing.
3. He studied agricultural economics at the University of Pretoria in Hatfield but he dropped out in his final year when he got his shot at the EFC Middleweight Championship.
4. He trains at Team CIT MMA in Hatfield.
5. He is 6’0″ tall and he competes in the middleweight and welterweight divisions.
6. He holds a professional MMA record of 21 wins and 2 losses.
7. In 1999, she started training judo.
8. In 2006, he started wrestling.
9. In 2009, he started competing as a K-1 kickboxer.
10. In 2012, he was the WAKO Junior K-1 World Champion.
11. From 2013 to 2017, he competed in the EFC.
12. From 2018 to 2019, he competed in the KSW and the EFC.
13. On January 14, 2024, he celebrated his 30th birthday with his girlfriend Vasti Spiller.

TIMELINE

2013

• On July 25, 2013, he made his professional MMA debut at “EFC Africa 21” in Brakpan, Gauteng, South Africa where he defeated Tshikangu Makuebo via technical knockout due to knee injury.
• On September 12, 2013, he submitted Bruno Mukulu at “EFC Africa 23” in Brakpan.
• On October 10, 2013, he submitted Johannes Coenraad Lambrecht at “EFC Africa 24” in Brakpan.

2014

• On February 27, 2014, he defeated Donavin Hawkey via technical knockout via punches at “EFC Africa 27” in Johannesburg, Gauteng. 
• On August 30, 2014, Garrett McLellan submitted him via guillotine choke at “EFC Africa 33” in Durban, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.

2015

• On February 21, 2015, he submitted Darren Daniel via rear-naked choke at “EFC Africa 37” in Brakpan.
• On June 6, 2015, he submitted Dino Bagattin via rear-naked choke at “EFC Africa 40” in Brakpan.
• On December 12, 2015, he submitted Mukulu again via rear-naked choke at “EFC Africa 46” in Brakpan. 

2016

• On June 17, 2016, he became the EFC Welterweight Champion by submitting Martin van Staden at “EFC Africa 50” in Sun City, North West Province, South Africa.
• On December 9, 2016, he submitted Rafal Haratyk via guillotine choke at “EFC Africa 56” in Johannesburg.

2017

• On May 13, 2017, he defeated Jose Mauricio da Rocha Jr. via punches at “EFC Africa 59” in Johannesburg.
• On August 19, 2017, he became the EFC Middleweight Champion by dethroning then champion Yannick Bahati via guillotine choke submission at “EFC Africa 62” in Johannesburg.

2018

• On April 14, 2018, he vacated the EFC Welterweight and Middleweight Championship titles and became the KSW Welterweight Champion by dethroning then champion Roberto Soldić at “KSW 43” in Wroclaw, Poland.
• On October 6, 2018, he lost the KSW Welterweight Championship title to Soldić in their rematch at “KSW 45” in Wembley, London, England.

2019

• On September 14, 2019, he defeated Joilton Lutterbach via technical knockout via punches at “KSW 50” in Wembley.
• On December 14, 2019, he regained the EFC Middleweight Championship title by submitting interim champion Brendan Lesar at “EFC Africa 83” in Pretoria.

2020

• On October 10, 2020, he made his UFC debut at “UFC Fight Island 5” in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates where he knocked out Markus Perez via punches.

2021

• On July 10, 2021, he knocked out Trevin Giles via punches at “UFC 264” in Paradise, Nevada.

2022

• On July 2, 2022, he defeated Brad Tavares via unanimous decision at “UFC 276” in Paradise.
• On December 10, 2022, he submitted Darren Till at “UFC 282” in Paradise.

2023

• On March 4, 2023, he defeated Derek Brunson via technical knockout via corner stoppage at “UFC 285” in Paradise.
• On July 8, 2023, he defeated Robert Whittaker via technical knockout via punches at “UFC 290” in Paradise.

2024

• On January 20, 2024, he became the new UFC Middleweight Champion by dethroning then champion Sean Strickland via split decision at “UFC 297” in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.