Dricus Du Plessis' Net Worth Unveiled: An Insight into the Earnings of the Rising Star in MMA

By Ali Hammad August 14, 2024 03:43

Photo by Getty Images

Dricus du Plessis, who is quickly becoming a household name in the mixed martial arts (MMA) scene, has risen through the ranks to become one of South Africa's hottest fighters. A product of Hatfield, Pretoria, du Plessis was born on Jan. 14, 1994, and the South African first ventured into fight sports when he was just five years old through judo before sliding over to wrestling and kickboxing as time passed. After transitioning to MMA and catching people's attention, he has done more than enough since joining the sport by becoming a WAKO World Champion in K-1.

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In his professional MMA career, Du Plessis started in the Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) and became a dominant competitor inside their organization, holding both welterweight and middleweight titles. Dricus du Plessis has an estimated net worth of between $1 million and $5 million, reflecting his success inside the cage alongside with it comes financial rewards.

Detailed Net Worth Breakdown

Fight Earnings

Base Salary: Du Plessis makes a base salary for every fight, which has increased greatly as he continues to improve. For example, he is rumored to have made $300,000 for his title fight against Sean Strickland, indicating what is on the line at this level.

Performance Bonuses: Besides a base salary, du Plessis has remained eligible for performance bonuses. For instance, a win against Robert Whittaker earned him a further $75k to add to his winning purse and another $50k in post-fight bonuses Performance of the Night.

Total Earnings: In his professional fighting career so far, du Plessis amassed a fight record of 21 wins and two losses, with the majority coming through knockout or submission. This allows him to make a significant sum of money in his fight purses and also from bonuses.

Sponsorship Deals

Over the years, Du Plessis has also snapped many endorsement deals, which helped bolster his wealth. Notable sponsors include:

Ultimate Sports Nutrition
Vivify U
SuperSport
Hennies

These collaborations give him double-bolstered financial backing and greater visibility as an ambulant warrior. As his brand grows, more companies will likely want a piece of the action now that he has won a title.

Early Career Earnings

At the beginning of his career, du Plessis made most of his money in EFC for significantly smaller purses than those he now fights under the UFC banner. Still, his tenure at EFC laid the foundation for him to eventually transition into billion-dollar territory when he signed with UFC.

UFC Earnings Growth

Upon entering the UFC, Du Plessis has seen his payouts rise exponentially. His current UFC run is 7-0, with five wins by stoppage, which has helped his ascension to legitimate contender status and gained him larger fight purses, not forgetting performance bonuses, of course.

With Dricus as a champion, he is expected to receive part of the pay-per-view buys for his fights on top of his salary. This model is typical for top-flight fighters and can boost their overall earnings, especially championship bouts.

Future Outlook

Continued Success in MMA

It sounds like if Du Plessis consistently wins and especially keeps his title activations up with fights to defend the belt, so will his pay. In the case of title fights, the structure that UFC employs actually increases purses and bonuses substantially for fighters who do their jobs well, most notably in terms of winning.

Potential Business Ventures

In the future, Du Plessis could also consider business ventures that work with his brand. One example might be if he launched a line of products based on fitness and trained it, opened gym clubs, or took to public speaking/coaching, which can add to his financial growth.

Dricus du Plessis is a star on the rise in Mixed Martial Arts and does well with his money, based on what we learned about how much he earned up to this point in his fighting career. Du Plessis, currently estimated to be worth between $1 million and $5 million, seems set for further success in both the inside and outside the octagon. His fortunes are set to increase as his career shoots up, and it is anticipated that his financial standing will be amongst South Africa's most powerful sports figures in the coming years.