About
From Welkom to the world
Born in Welkom in January 1994, Dricus started judo at five, wrestled through his early teens, and found K-1 kickboxing at fifteen — going 33–0 as an amateur with 30 knockouts. The nickname came from his brother, and it stuck.
He turned professional in July 2013 and built his record across Africa and Europe, collecting welterweight and middleweight titles in EFC and a welterweight title in KSW before the UFC came calling in 2020.
He trains out of Team CIT in Hatfield, Pretoria, under head coach Morne Visser — the same room he came up in, and the same room he still returns to between camps.
Milestones
1994
Born in Welkom, Free State, South Africa
1999
Starts judo at five, wrestling from twelve
2009
Takes up K-1 kickboxing — 33–0 as an amateur, 30 by knockout
2013
Professional MMA debut in July, aged nineteen
2016
EFC welterweight and middleweight champion
2019
KSW welterweight champion in Poland
2020
UFC debut — first-round knockout of Markus Perez
2024
Beats Sean Strickland at UFC 297 to become the first South African UFC champion
2026
Returns with a five-round decision over Kamaru Usman
Gym
Team CIT, Hatfield
Head coach
Morne Visser
Foundation style
K-1 Kickboxing