Dricus Du Plessis praised Conor McGregor's contribution to the growth of mixed martial arts. The UFC middleweight champion stated that while people say no one can be bigger than the sport itself, McGregor managed to achieve exactly that. Du Plessis recognized McGregor as having made a significant impact on MMA's development and popularity. The post received positive reactions from fans who agreed with Du Plessis's assessment of McGregor's influence. No specific details were provided about what aspects of MMA's growth McGregor influenced most.
Dricus Du Plessis has publicly praised Conor McGregor's outsized contribution to the growth of mixed martial arts, sharing his thoughts in a post that drew widespread agreement from fans.
Du Plessis, the reigning UFC middleweight champion, made a pointed observation: while the conventional wisdom holds that no individual can be bigger than the sport itself, McGregor is one of the rare exceptions who actually achieved that. The South African fighter stopped short of detailing which specific aspects of MMA's popularity McGregor drove forward, but the sentiment was clear and the reception warm.
Du Plessis currently sits second in the middleweight division and seventh in the pound-for-pound rankings, carrying a record of 23-3-0 at 32 years old. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, he fights out of a switch stance for Team CIT and lands 5.18 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy, complementing his striking with 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes.
McGregor, the Irishman known as "The Notorious," holds a professional record of 22-6-0 at 37 years old. The southpaw out of SBG Ireland stands five-foot-nine with a 74-inch reach and built his reputation on sharp, high-volume striking — averaging 5.32 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy across his career. Those numbers underscore the aggressive, fan-friendly style that helped elevate his profile far beyond the octagon.
Why it matters
- Du Plessis is the sitting middleweight champion, so his public statements carry significant weight within the sport's current conversation.
- McGregor's cultural footprint extended UFC's mainstream reach globally, a legacy fighters across divisions continue to benefit from.
- The acknowledgment from a reigning champion reinforces how McGregor's influence is still actively discussed years into his run at the top of the sport's commercial history.
