Dricus Du Plessis might just be MMA’s Rodney Dangerfield: the guy just can’t get no respect!
At 30 years of age, the first-ever UFC champion from South Africa is both at the top of his game and the top of the 185-pound division. His professional record stands at an impressive 21-2 with 19 victories via finish. He’s defeated former champions like Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland, as well as veteran contenders like Brad Tavares and Derek Brunson.
Why then, are so many fans baffled by his success? He rarely enters fights as the betting favorite. Until Du Plessis defeated Whittaker, the general belief among fans was that Du Plessis was outright bad at MMA despite plenty of evidence to the contrary. Stopping the second most accomplished Middleweight of the last decade forcibly earned Du Plessis a bit of begrudging recognition, but even now, many don’t understand how Du Plessis keeps winning.
It’s ultimately a matter of substance vs. style. From a style stand point, “Stillknocks” does a lot wrong. His movement is herky-jerky rather than fluid. His punching mechanics are awkward. He tends to advance hard and retreat on straight lines, off-balance either way. Half the time, his takedowns resemble Rugby tackles more than scholastic wrestling.
If we’re talking about substance, however? From a strategic and effectiveness standpoint, Du Plessis’ success makes a ton of sense. Those Rugby tackles land him in top position fairly often for a man who primarily identifies as a striker. He’s finished more opponents via submission than knockout despite his brawler reputation, and he came closer to strangling Whittaker than a genuine jiu-jitsu master in “Jacare” Souza.
Then, there’s Du Plessis’ kickboxing, which is never pretty but has still stopped nine opponents and bloodied up one of the least hit strikers in the sport. There are standout factors in play here. Notably, Du Plessis is the rare high-volume striker with knockout power, and he is also unusual in consistently attacking all targets. He kicks hard with both legs up and down the body, throws punishing hooks at the mid-section, and will fire stiff jabs or overhands alike upstairs.
That kind of variety is unusual, especially at the bigger weight classes. Sean Strickland’s ability to stay in the pocket and avoid clean shots is probably his greatest attribute, but Du Plessis was able to slowly wear through those defenses because he attacked at all levels constantly. All of his early low kicks were checked, but his continued commitment to low kicks, body shots, and shifting combinations meant that they eventually did start to land. By the championship rounds, Strickland was absolutely feeling the damage and wear of Du Plessis’ offense despite his slick parrying.
Du Plessis is a very smart fighter with ugly mechanics. He makes sound strategic choices even if the means are sometimes confusing. Incredible physical attributes — can anyone at Middleweight match both Du Plessis’ raw strength and physical conditioning? — make it possible at the elite level, but that shouldn’t undermine Du Plessis’ tactical and technical abilities.
This weekend (Sat., Aug. 17, 2024), Du Plessis will finally collide with rival and former champion Israel Adesanya after more than a year of feuding. “Stylebender” will live up to his name and be the smoother, more elegant striker between the two. However, that’s no guarantee of victory … and Du Plessis has proven it a dozen times over.
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