By Marta Alizeh. Last updated: October 20, 2026.
The Dricus du Plessis family just had a big month. On October 10, 2026, South Africa’s first UFC champion married Vasti Spiller in the Cape Winelands.
Three months earlier he beat Kamaru Usman and asked for his belt back. A few weeks before that, he called his father his hero in a Father’s Day post.
Dricus talks openly about his family. His parents and brothers mostly don’t. This guide sticks to what’s been reported.
Quick facts
| Name | Dricus du Plessis (“Stillknocks”, DDP) |
| Date of birth | January 14, 1994 (age 32) |
| Birthplace | Welkom, Free State, South Africa |
| Base | Hatfield, Pretoria |
| Nationality | South African |
| Sport and division | MMA, UFC middleweight |
| Gym and coach | Team CIT, Morne Visser |
| Father | Japie du Plessis |
| Mother | Gerda du Plessis |
| Siblings | Two older brothers, WC and Niel |
| Wife | Vasti Spiller (married October 10, 2026) |
| Background | Afrikaner; speaks Afrikaans and English |
| Religion | Not publicly confirmed in sources checked |
Who is Dricus du Plessis?
Dricus du Plessis is a South African mixed martial artist, born January 14, 1994, in Welkom. In January 2024 he beat Sean Strickland to become the first South African UFC champion. He defended the middleweight title twice before losing it to Khamzat Chimaev in August 2025. His UFC profile lists him fighting out of Pretoria.
What is Dricus du Plessis’s family background?
Dricus du Plessis’s family background is Afrikaner. He was born in Welkom, a gold-mining town in the Free State, and built his career in Pretoria. He speaks Afrikaans and English, and once gave Las Vegas a short Afrikaans lesson, IOL reported.
That identity sits at the centre of his public persona. He leans into it at press conferences and fight weeks.
Who are Dricus du Plessis’s parents?
Dricus du Plessis’s parents are Japie and Gerda du Plessis. Neither is a public figure. Both are regularly reported at his biggest fights, including the night he won the title in January 2024.
His father is the one he talks about most. On Father’s Day in June 2026, Dricus posted a photo with Japie and called him his hero and his greatest motivation, Briefly News reported. He wrote that making his father proud was his biggest achievement.
Japie was beside him when he became champion. That’s a detail several South African outlets have noted.
Gerda keeps an even lower profile. Her work and background haven’t been reported in the sources checked for this article.
Does Dricus du Plessis have siblings?
Dricus du Plessis has two older brothers, WC and Niel, and he is the youngest of the three sons. According to Sportskeeda, WC is a company CEO and Niel is a lawyer.
Niel also fought. Sportskeeda reports he went 3-2 as a pro, all in South Africa’s EFC promotion. His last bout was in March 2020.
So two du Plessis brothers have fought in the same cage. Dricus won EFC titles at welterweight and middleweight before the UFC signed him.
Childhood and early life
Dricus du Plessis started combat sports early. His UFC biography and EFC profile record judo from age five, wrestling from 12 and kickboxing from 14.
He also played rugby through school and remains a loud Springboks supporter. Former Springbok captain Victor Matfield was a guest at his wedding.
At 17, in 2012, he won K-1 gold at the WAKO World Championships in Bratislava. It was South Africa’s first WAKO medal. He switched to MMA soon after, partly because kickboxing paid less.
He studied agricultural economics at the University of Pretoria. He left in his final year to fight full time.
How did family shape Dricus du Plessis’s career?
Dricus du Plessis’s family shaped his career by staying close while he stayed home. He chose to train in Pretoria with coach Morne Visser rather than move to an American camp. His parents have travelled to watch him fight abroad.
The results came anyway. He won the belt from Strickland, submitted Israel Adesanya in August 2024 and beat Strickland again in February 2025.
After losing to Chimaev, he returned on July 18, 2026, in Oklahoma City. He beat Kamaru Usman on all three cards, theScore reported, then said he wanted his belt back.
Other fighters have family stories just as tied to home. Compare Islam Makhachev’s family background in Dagestan, or Victor Wembanyama’s family, who also built a champion far from America.
Who is Dricus du Plessis’s wife?
Dricus du Plessis’s wife is Vasti Spiller, a photographer, children’s book author and boxing coach. He proposed at his 31st birthday party on January 14, 2025, after about a year and a half together, Woman & Home reported.
They married on October 10, 2026, at La Paris Estate in the Cape Winelands, Briefly News reported. Singer Bobby van Jaarsveld reportedly performed at the reception.
The couple have no children that have been publicly reported.
Interesting facts about Dricus du Plessis’s family
- His brother Niel practises law and has also fought professionally in EFC.
- He proposed to Vasti on his own birthday.
- A Springbok legend was on his wedding guest list.
- He won a kickboxing world title for South Africa before he could legally drink.
- He calls his father his hero, publicly and often.
Frequently asked questions
Who are Dricus du Plessis’s parents?
His parents are Japie and Gerda du Plessis. They keep out of the media but attend his major fights.
Does Dricus du Plessis have siblings?
Yes. He has two older brothers, WC and Niel. Niel is a lawyer who has also fought in MMA.
Is Dricus du Plessis married?
Yes. He married Vasti Spiller on October 10, 2026, in the Cape Winelands.
Where was Dricus du Plessis born?
He was born in Welkom, Free State, on January 14, 1994, and is based in Pretoria.
What nationality is Dricus du Plessis?
He is South African and Afrikaner, and he speaks Afrikaans and English.
Why is Dricus du Plessis famous?
He became South Africa’s first UFC champion in January 2024 and held the middleweight title until August 2025.
The takeaway
He stayed in Pretoria, kept his family close and still reached the top of the UFC. His father’s approval, by his own account, is the win that counts most.
This article reflects information available on October 20, 2026. It will be revised when real new details emerge about the Dricus du Plessis family.
Sources
- UFC.com, Dricus du Plessis athlete profile
- Briefly News, Father’s Day tribute, June 22, 2026
- Briefly News, wedding report, October 12, 2026
- Woman & Home South Africa, engagement, January 15, 2025
- theScore, Du Plessis beats Usman, July 18, 2026
- Sportskeeda, Dricus du Plessis’s brother Niel
- IOL, Afrikaans lessons at UFC 276
