Dricus Du Plessis on a New York City rooftop.
Image: Instagram
Dricus Du Plessis, the first South African to win a UFC championship, is taking the Big Apple by storm with festive vibes and plenty of love from fans.
The renowned mixed martial artist, who is also affectionately known by his initials DDP, spent the weekend cageside in New York City for UFC 328 in nearby Newark, New Jersey, where Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev to reclaim the middleweight title.
Du Plessis, who currently competes in the Middleweight division, took to Instagram to post a series of images and videos from his time at the epic event and around the city.
In a picture carousel, DDP appeared to be in high spirits, posing on a NYC rooftop with a drink in hand. Sporting sunglasses and a boxy black shirt, he looked confident and composed as the city’s skyscrapers towered in the background.
The next image showed Du Plessis appearing on the big screen at UFC 328 inside the packed arena, followed by a playful video of him strolling through NYC and jokingly headbutting the camera.
Another snap captured DDP grinning in a busy New York street, while a following video showed him greeting fans inside UFC 328 as crowds gathered around him.
Fans also got a glimpse of his iPhone wallpaper - spoiler alert: it is a picture of his championship belt - before he took followers further into the streets of NYC, posing for a photo with a supporter.
The high spirits continued throughout the carousel, with one blurry image capturing Du Plessis laughing candidly, while another video showed excited fans rushing to his car in a bid to catch a glimpse of the internationally renowned MMA superstar.
Fans quickly flocked to the post’s comment section, with @drmelvinisaac commenting: “Now he’s gonna beat Sean and be the champ again 🤣.”
@NineMarieDaniel added: “Even Super Mario wanted a pic 😂🙌,” while @ronaldbmorgan wrote: “South Ah's Champion 👑🇿🇦.”
Posts from his Instagram Stories over the weekend also showed DDP moving within UFC’s VIP orbit, including backstage access, media zones and exclusive event spaces linked to the blockbuster fight weekend.
The posts continue to showcase the polished athlete image Du Plessis has carefully built over the last few years.
From luxury travel and elite sporting environments to premium training facilities and fitted streetwear, DDP’s social media presence reflects the growing profile of one of South Africa’s biggest sporting stars on the global stage.