After five years of promotion, Dricus Du Plessis has already achieved a lot in his UFC career.
'Still Knocks' quickly got up to the top of the sport and he is no stranger in the spotlight, with Du Plessis who would fight in another huge matchup next time.
Du Plessis will want to be the first person who beats Khamzat Chimaev when he tries to defend the title of the middle weight for the third time at UFC 319.
His victories over the will of Israel Adesanya, Sean Strickland and Robert Whittaker have cemented his status as the best 185 pound hunter in the world.
This was not immediately clear from his first pair of fights in the Octagon where many fans were somewhat critical of his performances.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Dricus du Plessis reflects on 'terrified' for his UFC debut in the short term on Fight Island
In a recent video on his social media platforms in collaboration with Betway, Dricus du Plessis thought he was at the UFC for five years.
After winning a final victory in the South African promotion EFC after his short Stint in KSW, 'Still Knocks' received the UFC call in less than ideal conditions.
Markus Perez needed a replacement opponent for his fight on Fight Island after Rodolfo Vieira withdrew a few weeks after the matchup.
Du Plessis stepped in and although commentators warned that he could experience a few octagonal tickles in the early stages of the fight after a troubled start of the game, the South African produced a quick victory after dropping Perez with a left hand in the opening round.
After he had stated that he recently viewed the fight, the current champion suggested that the commentators were along the right lines, felt the pressure of his debut, where his opponent of faltering by fighting aggressively.
“The way it looked like TV, I had 10 days cancellation period to make that. It was the least prepared that I have ever been for a fight and the man you see on TV that looks so composed, loves, smiling, but I was terrified inside.
“I have the first round knockout, so I couldn't really ask for a better debut, but yes, I mean, that fight was probably just as important as a title fight for me, because that was the fight true, am I ready for this? Are they going to put me in the pool of the losers? Are they even going to keep me up? And I have had it counted.”
Dricus du Plessis reveals that he was the least prepared for his UFC debut than any other fight in his career 😲🫡
“I may have looked composed and looked at the outside, but inside I was terrified. That fight meant just as much for me as a title fight!”
🎥 @Dricusduplessis pic.twitter.com/u0ds9c5qks
– Red Corner MMA (@redcorner_Mma) 25 July 2025
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It took a long time before Dricus du Plessis deserved the respect he felt he was owing
The UFC debut of Dricus du Plessis is fascinating to look back on and in some ways it summarizes its early UFC career.
The performance was not beautiful and it did not make fans think that he would become a champion, but even if it didn't necessarily go his way, he thought he found a way to win and he stopped his opponent.
This was the case in several of his victories, where there was a lot of criticism of his uncomfortable style and gas tank, which have now been proven very effectively.
The turning point for many fans was when he stopped Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 to earn a title shot and overcome his toughest test in style at that time.