UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis has never been one to mince words about his approach to combat. In a recent interview, the South African fighter explained what he believes separates him from his peers: an unwavering willingness to inflict maximum damage when the cage door closes.
“I’m there to give the people a show, a fight, and I’m in there to kill someone,” du Plessis stated matter-of-factly. “I’m not in there to point my way to victory.” He sees this as the fundamental difference between himself and contenders like Sean Strickland, whom he has criticized for prioritizing defense over offense.
The mental transformation that occurs when du Plessis steps into the octagon is perhaps the most striking aspect of his persona. When asked about his mindset, he explained: “I’m fighting a guy in front of millions of people that wants to kill me and I want to kill him – that’s all the motivation you need. I’m pretty hyped up when I get out there.”
Dricus says it’s his willingness to cross a line that many contenders struggle with that truly sets him apart. “You have to be willing to die when you get in there – that’s true, you have to, but that’s a minimum requirement,” du Plessis explained. “The harder part is can you kill a man when you have to? Yes, I can.”
Du Plessis went deeper into what this mentality means in practice: “I can be sitting on you for 10 minutes bashing your face – if the ref doesn’t say stop, I’m not stopping. That is the question that me, as a modern-day gladiator, has to ask myself: am I still willing to die? Absolutely, that’s easy. It’s are you willing to kill a man in front of his family? Yes, I am. And that’s why I’m the world champion.”
The champion was quick to clarify that this killer instinct is compartmentalized. “That’s not Dricus, the guy that you see right here,” he emphasized. “I can’t be living like that the whole time. I think that’s for a lot of athletes a problem – differentiating against the man in society and the man in the arena. It’s two very different people.”
This differentiation between his combat persona and everyday personality speaks to the psychological complexity required to compete at the highest level of mixed martial arts. Du Plessis acknowledges that while he can’t live with a constant killer mentality, he must be able to access it when necessary, both in the cage and potentially in life when defending his family.
The champion’s criticism of Strickland’s combat style further illustrates his point. “Let’s not go and act as if Sean Strickland fights are entertaining,” du Plessis said. “The man has eight split decision victories – that is not somebody that’s looking for an exciting fight. He’s fighting not to lose as opposed to fighting to win.”
While acknowledging Strickland’s effectiveness as a defensive fighter, du Plessis prioritizes entertainment value and decisive action. “I prioritize offense because I’m there to give the people that spend their hard-earned money on pay-per-views and arena tickets a show, a fight.”
The South African’s mindset has been shaped by his upbringing and cultural background, where tough love and unwavering discipline were fundamental values. Dricus du Plessis is currently preparing for his upcoming title defense against Khamzat Chimaev.
