Dricus du Plessis lost his UFC belt but earned a massive R61 million at UFC 319. South Africa’s MMA star proves defeat can still pay big.


Dricus du Plessis lost his UFC belt but earned a massive R61 million at UFC 319. South Africa’s MMA star proves defeat can still pay big.

South Africa’s own Dricus “Stillknocks” du Plessis may have walked out of Chicago without his UFC middleweight belt, but he certainly didn’t leave empty-handed. The Pretoria-born fighter pocketed an eye-watering R61 million from his UFC 319 showdown with Khamzat Chimaev—proving once again that in the brutal business of combat sports, sometimes defeat can still come with a payday worth celebrating.


The clash, billed as one of the biggest middleweight battles in recent UFC history, ended in disappointment for Du Plessis inside the octagon. Yet, behind the scenes, his bank account told a different story. According to reports, the South African earned $1 million (R18 million) as a base purse for entering the cage as defending champion. Add to that the lucrative Pay-Per-View shares, performance bonuses, and promotional incentives, and his total ballooned to a staggering R61 million.


While international outlets estimate slightly different figures—some placing his payout at $2.5 million (about R45 million) and others at $3.8 million (over R70 million)—what’s undeniable is that Du Plessis remains among the highest-earning fighters in the UFC today. In fact, analysts estimate that over his last four UFC events, he has accumulated between R138 million and R147 million.


For South African sport, this is no small feat. Du Plessis is not just flying the national flag in the UFC—he is rewriting what it means to be a South African athlete on the global stage. His R61 million payday is proof that Africa’s fighters can command global respect, recognition, and reward.


The question now is not whether Du Plessis will bounce back—he has proven his resilience countless times—but rather how this loss will fuel his next chapter. Will he chase a rematch with Chimaev? Will he explore a different weight class? Or will he use his newfound fortune to build his brand beyond the octagon?


One thing is clear: Stillknocks may have lost the belt, but he is still smiling all the way to the bank.


Insightjozinews.blogspot.com 

Noko Maleka




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