Dricus du Plessis’s Biggest 2025 UFC Paydays: $3.34M vs Strickland and $3M vs Chimaev
- Former UFC champion Dricus du Plessis scored his biggest payday of 2025 after defending his UFC Middleweight title
- Despite losing his belt later in the year, Du Plessis still out-earned his opponents in major fights in 2025
- The South African star is already eyeing a comeback in 2026, with rumours linking him to a high-stakes bout against an undefeated fighter
Dricus du Plessis had a rollercoaster year in 2025, starting on a high note as the UFC Middleweight champion after an emphatic victory over Sean Strickland in February.
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However, the tables turned in August when he surrendered his belt after being overpowered by the formidable Khamzat Chimaev. Despite contrasting outcomes in both fights, Du Plessis walked away with impressive earnings, with his biggest payday coming from his triumph over Strickland.
Record-breaking payday against Sean Strickland
The Pretoria-born combat sports star successfully defended his title against Strickland and took home a hefty sum, significantly higher than what his opponent earned. As the reigning champion, Du Plessis was guaranteed a base salary of $1.2 million, with an additional $400,000 from pay-per-view (PPV) revenue and $42,000 in sponsorships. His total reported earnings from the fight amounted to $2.14 million, making it his largest payday in 2025.
In comparison, Strickland reportedly earned $1 million as his base salary, plus $32,000 from sponsorships, bringing his total payout to $1.03 million, far below Du Plessis’s earnings. The South African’s contract with UFC, bolstered by his August 2024 fight against Israel Adesanya, had already seen a substantial increase in his guaranteed salary, setting him up for a lucrative start to 2025.
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Earnings despite defeat against Khamzat Chimaev
Fast forward to Du Plessis’s August bout against Chimaev, where he lost his title and his earnings were impacted, but still notable. Many expected Chimaev, the victor, to earn more, given his championship status. However, Du Plessis reportedly remained the higher earner.
For UFC 319, Du Plessis was expected to take home around $3 million, which included a $1 million base salary and an estimated $1-1.5 million from PPV revenue and promotional bonuses. He missed out on a guaranteed $500,000 win bonus due to the loss, but his total earnings still surpassed his opponent.
Known affectionately as “Stillknocks” by his fans, Du Plessis will enter 2026 aiming to reclaim his title, with rumours already circulating about a potential matchup against Brendan Allen.
Allen has been steadily climbing the middleweight rankings, securing consecutive victories over Reinier de Ridder and former title challenger Marvin Vettori. Following his shock win against de Ridder at UFC Vancouver in October, Allen suggested a potential clash with Dricus du Plessis could happen if their schedules aligned.
Dricus speaks out after defeat
Briefly News previously reported that South African UFC Middleweight fighter Dricus du Plessis reacted to his bruising defeat at the hands of the UAE’s Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in Chicago.
“Stillknocks,” who came into this fight as the underdog, put on a brave face despite the one-sided fight and vowed to bounce back.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
