Dricus Du Plessis has acknowledged Conor McGregor's significant role in the development of mixed martial arts. Du Plessis noted that while many say no one can be bigger than the sport itself, McGregor managed to transcend that boundary. The UFC middleweight champion expressed that McGregor undoubtedly made a major contribution to MMA. This recognition comes from the current titleholder highlighting the Irish superstar's influence on the sport's growth and global reach. The post reflects Du Plessis's respect for McGregor's legacy despite their different career paths.
Dricus Du Plessis has spoken publicly about Conor McGregor's outsized influence on the growth of mixed martial arts, offering measured praise for the Irish star's role in elevating the sport to a global audience.
Du Plessis, the current UFC middleweight champion, pushed back on the common notion that no individual can ever be bigger than the sport itself — pointing to McGregor as a rare exception who managed to transcend that boundary. The South African acknowledged that McGregor's contribution to MMA's mainstream reach is undeniable.
Du Plessis holds a professional record of 23 wins and 3 losses and currently sits at number two in the middleweight division, with a place at number seven on the pound-for-pound rankings. The 32-year-old out of Team CIT is a volume striker who fights out of a switch stance, standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach. He lands 5.18 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and also contributes on the ground, averaging 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes.
McGregor, fighting out of SBG Ireland, carries a record of 22 wins and 6 losses across his career. The 37-year-old Dubliner competes as a southpaw, standing five-foot-nine with a 74-inch reach. His striking output of 5.32 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy reflects the explosive style that helped turn him into one of combat sports' most recognizable figures worldwide.
Why it matters
- Du Plessis represents the current generation of middleweight talent that has benefited from the expanded audience McGregor helped create
- The comments highlight how fighters within the sport continue to credit McGregor's era as a turning point for MMA's commercial and cultural reach
- Recognition from an active champion adds weight to any conversation about McGregor's long-term legacy in the sport
