The Rise of Dricus Du Plessis

Dricus Du Plessis, the current UFC middleweight champion, has achieved his childhood dream of becoming a UFC titleholder. Now, he is setting his sights even higher, aiming to cement his legacy as the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) in the middleweight division. His journey continues with a highly anticipated rematch against Sean Strickland at UFC 312 in Sydney on February 8, 2025.

• Achieving the Dream: Du Plessis won the middleweight title via a split decision against Strickland at UFC 297 in January 2024. He successfully defended his title against Israel Adesanya by submission in the fourth round at UFC 305 in Perth.
• Motivation Beyond the Belt: Having spent half his life striving for UFC glory, Du Plessis now draws motivation from his legacy. He aims to surpass the achievements of middleweight legends like Adesanya and Robert Whittaker, both of whom he has already defeated.
• The GOAT Ambition: Du Plessis is not just fighting for victories; he is fighting for history. He told ESPN: 'I always set my goals way higher than that. My ultimate goal is to be the greatest.'
• Training with Rivals: Despite their competitive past, Du Plessis expressed a desire to train with both Adesanya and Whittaker in the future. 'I would love to train with Rob and Izzy when it’s all said and done,' he said.
• Critics and Challenges: Du Plessis has faced criticism for his fight frequency compared to Adesanya’s reign. However, he argues his training camps are more demanding than his fights. 'I was critiqued for being inactive, but I’ve had three fights in 13 months,' he said.
• The Rematch with Strickland: Du Plessis is determined to leave no doubt in his rematch with Strickland. 'I want to dominate, whether it’s an early finish, a late finish, or a decision,' he said.

Editors’ Picks:

• UFC 312: Du Plessis would have preferred a fight with Khamzat Chimaev but is focused on ending the debate with Strickland.
• South Africa’s UFC Event: Du Plessis hopes to bring a UFC event to South Africa by the end of 2025.
• Pressure in 2025: Which UFC champions face the most pressure in 2025? Du Plessis, Pereira, and Peña top the list.