DRICUS du PLESSIS 🇿🇦 UFC Middleweight •Highlight Mix•

Dricus du Plessis - South African professional mixed martial artist (also known as DDP)
He currently competes in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the current UFC Middleweight Champion and the first South African to win a UFC championship.
As of 17 September 2024, he is #6 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 made his UFC 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.

UFC Middleweight Champion
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 defense 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.
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