Becoming the middleweight champion and defending that crown against the likes of Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland isn’t an easy task. But Dricus Du Plessis managed to vanquish his foes with a tad bit of perseverance, awkward style, and a hell lot of hard work. Well, this achievement not only made him a top fighter in the UFC but also saw a rise in his popularity among fans.

With fame and success come money, and Dricus du Plessis‘s bank balance is pretty well stocked. But how much has the 185lbs gold standard earned from his recent fights? And how much does he earn from his brand sponsorships? If you’re wondering the same, let’s take a look at the South African’s finances and witness his financial growth. 

Dricus Du Plessis’ 2025 net worth and endorsements

Being the middleweight champion, of course, Dricus du Plessis is a millionaire. His net worth reportedly hovers around $3-5 million or even more, according to certain reports. The champ’s journey in the realm of mixed martial arts began in 2013, and he fought under the banners of EFC and KSW. But his fate began to change when he defeated Brendan Lesar in late 2019. That bout got him on the map and was the ticket to the UFC. 

Du Plessis gets his endorsement money from giants like Sports Nutrition, SuperSport, Vivify U, and World Sports Betting, to name a few. Vivify U even nominated him for their International Fighter of the Year in 2023. No doubt, ‘Stillknocks’ has come a long way. But it’s not just the sports and nutrition brands that have endorsed the champion with 23 wins and just 2 defeats in his professional MMA career.

The Real Hennies have also shown support for Dricus du Plessis, who happens to be a pretty popular restaurant chain in South Africa. And due to the affiliation with the middleweight champ, their value simply skyrocketed. On top of that, Banxso, a South Africa-based online trading platform, has also endorsed ‘Stillknocks’. 

But how much is the first-ever South African UFC champion’s career earnings? Let’s take a look at that and find out the amount of money that Dricus Du Plessis earns from his fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. 

How much does Dricus Du Plessis earn? Payouts & career earnings

The South African’s UFC debut was made with a base salary of just $16K. Well, he did receive a performance bonus of $75K for his first-round KO win, and another $16K as a win bonus. And he received $4,000  from brand sponsorships. Since then, his earnings have simply risen. Now that he has become a champion, he reportedly receives $800K as a base salary and $42K from brand endorsements. He’s also part of the PPV payout now.

The time he fought Sean Strickland for the middleweight belt at UFC 297, he received the standard amount of $300K. That’s the base salary that every title challenger usually receives. Coming from $16,000 for a fight to $800,000 to show up for a fight, ‘Stillknocks’ has indeed come a long way, as he took home a total of around $600K. Overall, his fight earnings have amounted to over $676,500, according to MMASalaries.com.

Meanwhile, the biggest payout was yet to come, as he made eight figures in his last fight. However, it’s not the kind of 8-figure payout you may be thinking about. Let’s take a look at that front. 

Dricus Du Plessis earns a whopping salary

So, in the most recent fight, Dricus du Plessis had against the former 2-time champion Israel Adesanya, he was able to take home a reported $2.14 million. Well, when IOL South Africa reported the news, they revealed that his $2.14 million converts to over 40 million in his country’s currency, the South African Rand. Du Plessis was laughing all the way to the bank, as this caught everyone off guard.

However, we haven’t mentioned his biggest payout yet, as it was the rematch against Sean Strickland where he took home the biggest payday of his UFC career. Not only did the champion dominate the ex-champion, but he also took home a reported check of over $3.3 million. We are certain that he could make even more this weekend if he beats Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319.

The middleweight championship title is on the line for a third time for Dricus du Plessis, and things are certain to get interesting when he steps inside the cage with Khamzat Chimaev. It’s a highly anticipated fight that even Dana White is excited about. Who do you think will take the belt? Drop your comments below.