Dricus Du Plessis: Record, Next Fight, Girlfriend, and Pay

You’ve probably seen the name Dricus Du Plessis popping up in fight news—he’s the South African powerhouse who took the UFC middleweight belt from Sean Strickland in 2024, with a 24-3-0 record that tells only part of the story. Here’s a verified look at his stats, his next fight rumors, his personal life with girlfriend Vasti Spiller, and how his pay stacks up in the UFC.

Record: 24-3-0 (W-L-D) ·
Height: 6′ 1″ ·
Weight class: Middleweight (185 lbs) ·
Reach: 76″ ·
UFC rank: #2 in middleweight rankings ·
Nickname: Stillknocks

Here are 10 verified facts about Du Plessis, one pattern: each row draws from official fight records and reliable sports sources, not fan speculation.

The pattern: Du Plessis’s stats place him among the division’s elite, but the true test lies in his upcoming title defenses.

How many fights has Dricus Du Plessis lost?

Complete professional MMA record

• Dricus Du Plessis has 24 wins, 3 losses, and 0 draws across his professional MMA career, per UFC Stats.
• His finishing rate is high: 16 wins by TKO/KO and 3 by submission, according to UFC Stats.
• He is the reigning UFC middleweight champion as of 2024, having defeated Sean Strickland at UFC 297 (Sportskeeda).

Losses at welterweight vs middleweight

• Du Plessis suffered his three professional losses to Kamal Ozara, Roberto Soldic, and Terek Bamba, all earlier in his career, as listed on Sportskeeda.
• Those losses came while he competed primarily at welterweight in EFC Worldwide, before moving up to middleweight in the UFC.

Notable defeats

• Roberto Soldic, who defeated Du Plessis by knockout, went on to become a two-division champion in KSW (Sportskeeda).
• Since those losses, Du Plessis has won 15 consecutive fights, including his UFC middleweight title win.

The implication: Those early setbacks shaped the champion he became, turning weaknesses into tactical adjustments that now define his game.

What is Dricus Du Plessis’s next fight?

Upcoming opponents: Khamzat Chimaev, Usman, or Sean Strickland

• No official announcement has been made for Du Plessis’s next fight (MMA Junkie).
• Du Plessis’s coach said a fight with Khamzat Chimaev is the target for his next bout, but not at UFC 317 (Yahoo Sports).
• ABC News reported that Du Plessis would defend his belt against undefeated Khamzat Chimaev (14-0) at UFC 319 in Chicago (ABC News / AP wire (news agency)).

Event date and location

• The UFC 319 event was scheduled for a sold-out United Center in Chicago, per ABC News / AP wire.
• However, as of February 2026, no contract had been signed, according to MMA Junkie.

Title defense status

• Du Plessis won the title by defeating Sean Strickland by split decision at UFC 297 on January 20, 2024 (Sportskeeda).
• If the Chimaev fight falls through, a rematch with Strickland or a bout with Kamaru Usman are reported alternatives.

The pattern: Chimaev is the clear frontrunner target, but UFC negotiations remain fluid. Fans should expect an announcement within weeks, not months.

The catch: Each opponent presents a different stylistic challenge, but Chimaev’s undefeated record and rising popularity make him the most lucrative option.

Does Dricus Du Plessis have a husband?

Relationship status

• No, Dricus Du Plessis does not have a husband. He is engaged to Vasti Spiller, a South African model and entrepreneur (The South African).
• Du Plessis proposed to Spiller on his 31st birthday, January 14, 2025 (LowKickMMA (MMA news site)).
• As of January 2025, they are not yet married (Sportskeeda).

Who is Vasti Spiller?

• Vasti Spiller is a South African boxing coach, photographer, and author of a children’s book (Briefly (South African news site)).
• She works as a boxing coach at CIT Boxing Studio in South Africa (EssentiallySports (sports news site)).
• The Citizen also reports she is a photographer and children’s book author (The Citizen (South African news outlet)).

Personal life details

• Du Plessis and Spiller have been in a relationship since at least 2023 (EssentiallySports).
• He was born in South Africa and trains with Team CIT.

How much will Dricus Du Plessis get paid?

UFC fight purse estimates

• Du Plessis’s exact fight pay is not publicly disclosed by the UFC, but based on typical champion-level contracts, his base pay is estimated in the six-figure range per fight (Sportskeeda).
• His pay includes a base purse, win bonus, and potential pay-per-view (PPV) points, which can significantly increase total earnings.
• By comparison, Conor McGregor is the highest paid UFC fighter, earning tens of millions per fight from PPV shares (Sportskeeda).

Comparison to top earners like Conor McGregor and the highest paid UFC fighter

• The highest paid UFC fighter historically is Conor McGregor, whose disclosed purses have exceeded $30 million for headline events.
• Du Plessis, as a relatively new champion, likely earns a fraction of that — estimates from MMA pay databases suggest $200,000-$500,000 per fight base, plus PPV bonuses that could push total compensation higher.
• No official source confirms his exact pay; all figures are estimates from third-party trackers.

The pattern: Pay will rise as his profile grows, but for now, Du Plessis’s earnings reflect a champion still building his mainstream audience.

Who is the only man to never bleed in the UFC?

Origins of the claim

• The claim that a fighter has “never bled in the UFC” is often associated with Khabib Nurmagomedov or Royce Gracie in fan communities, but no verifiable source confirms it for any fighter (Sportskeeda).
• It is widely treated as hyperbole in MMA journalism — even the toughest fighters get cut when facing high-level striking (Sportskeeda).

List of fighters with notable durability

• Fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Royce Gracie, and Jon Jones have reputations for toughness, but all have shown visible damage during fights.
• Du Plessis himself has never been knocked out in the UFC, but he has bled in fights — notably his title win over Strickland, where both men left the cage marked.

The implication: Durability matters, but the myth obscures a more interesting truth about how champions adapt to damage.

Confirmed facts and what’s unclear

Career timeline

The implication: Du Plessis’s career trajectory mirrors his fighting style — constant forward pressure. From an African regional promotion to UFC gold in under four years, the timeline shows a fighter who doesn’t wait.

Quotes and key statistics

“I am a Warrior, ready to do whatever it takes.”

— Dricus Du Plessis, self-description on social media (Sportskeeda)

SLpM: 5.21 — Strikes Landed per Minute, Str. Acc: 48%, SApM: 4.24 — Strikes Absorbed per Minute, Str. Def: 54%.

— UFC Stats (official fight database)

Ranked #2 in UFC middleweight rankings as of the latest update.

— Sportskeeda (MMA news outlet)

The catch: His striking volume also means he absorbs damage, which makes durability a key factor in his title reign.

Frequently asked questions

For UFC fans tracking the middleweight division, the choice is clear: watch Du Plessis’s next move closely, or risk missing his rise to the top of the pay scale.

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