The Dricus du Plessis next fight has not been booked, and nothing official points to a date yet. What has changed is the list of options: the former champion now sits No. 2 in the UFC middleweight rankings at 24-3, and he has publicly warmed to a third meeting with Roberto Soldic, the striker who knocked him out when they last met in KSW.
That gives “Stillknocks” three realistic routes. He can wait for a title shot, take a fight against a ranked contender, or chase a grudge match that would need Soldic to climb a weight class first.
The short answer on the Dricus du Plessis next fight
No opponent, card or date has been announced by the UFC. The trilogy idea came up when du Plessis, in an interview with Fight Forecast, described a Soldic rematch as a possible super fight. He set two conditions: Soldic should first string together a couple of UFC wins, and he would have to agree to compete at 185 pounds.
I think that fight would be awesome.
Dricus du Plessis
So the trilogy is a long-range plan, not an imminent booking. In the near term, the realistic Dricus du Plessis next fight is either a title opportunity or a matchup against another top-five middleweight.
How the Soldic rivalry started in KSW
Both bouts happened in 2018 under the KSW banner, with du Plessis still a welterweight. Du Plessis took the first one in April by second-round TKO. Roughly half a year later, Soldic flipped the result with a third-round knockout. That leaves the series level at one win each, which is exactly why a decider keeps surfacing in any Dricus du Plessis next fight debate.
Du Plessis moved up to middleweight, signed with the UFC and won the belt. Soldic later competed in ONE Championship and went 4-0 as a pro boxer according to his UFC profile.
Roberto Soldic’s UFC debut and his weight class problem
Soldic finally arrived in the Octagon at UFC 332 on October 3 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. He beat Khaos Williams by unanimous decision with scores of 29-28, 29-27 and 29-27, per the official UFC 332 results. UFC.com noted that Williams dropped him twice inside the opening five minutes before the Bosnian-born striker took over the final two rounds.
Dana White put the slow start down to debut nerves, saying newcomers face “a lot of jitters” and that Soldic “looked great” once he shook them off.
The catch is size. Soldic is an active welterweight, while du Plessis has competed only at middleweight in the UFC. A trilogy means Soldic moving up 15 pounds against one of the strongest 185-pound fighters on the roster, and that is a big ask after a single UFC appearance. It is the main reason a Soldic version of the Dricus du Plessis next fight still looks distant.
Where du Plessis stands in the middleweight title picture
His recent run explains why he still sits near the top. The record below comes from his UFC.com athlete page.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 18, 2026 | Kamaru Usman | Win, unanimous decision | UFC Fight Night, Oklahoma City |
| Aug 16, 2025 | Khamzat Chimaev | Loss, unanimous decision | UFC 319 |
| Feb 8, 2025 | Sean Strickland | Win, unanimous decision | UFC 312 |
| Aug 17, 2024 | Israel Adesanya | Win, rear-naked choke, R4 3:38 | UFC 305 |
| Jan 20, 2024 | Sean Strickland | Win, split decision | UFC 297 |
The current rankings put Sean Strickland on top as champion, with Khamzat Chimaev at No. 1, du Plessis at No. 2 and Nassourdine Imavov at No. 3. Strickland has talked openly about frustration with the UFC and an interest in boxing, which clouds the order of challengers and makes the Dricus du Plessis next fight hard to call.
Our read: a five-round decision over Usman, a former welterweight king, keeps du Plessis in the mix but did not lock up a shot. He already holds two wins over Strickland, which cuts both ways. It shows he can beat the champion, yet a third meeting is a tougher sell to fans than a fresh matchup.
Common misconceptions about his next move
The trilogy is not booked. Du Plessis said he likes the idea and attached conditions. Nothing has been signed, and the UFC has not named a Dricus du Plessis next fight opponent of any kind.
The title queue is not settled by rank alone. No. 4 Brendan Allen headlines UFC Vegas 122 against No. 10 Christian Leroy Duncan on October 10, and a strong win there adds another name to the conversation. Our Allen vs Duncan preview covers that matchup, and our look at the Natalia Silva record after UFC 332 recaps the card where Soldic debuted.
Frequently asked questions
What is Dricus du Plessis’ record?
His official UFC.com record is 24-3. His last fight was a unanimous decision win over Kamaru Usman on July 18, 2026.
What weight class is Roberto Soldic?
Soldic competes at welterweight. He made his UFC debut in that division at UFC 332 and would need to move up to middleweight to face du Plessis again.
Has Dricus du Plessis fought Roberto Soldic before?
Yes, twice in KSW in 2018. Du Plessis won the first bout by second-round TKO while Soldic evened the series with a third-round knockout later that year.
What the Dricus du Plessis next fight should be
The smart Dricus du Plessis next fight is whatever moves him closest to the belt, and right now that points to the title or a top-three contender, not Soldic. The trilogy makes more sense after Soldic proves himself with two or three more UFC wins and a test at 185. Watch the Allen vs Duncan result and any word on Strickland’s plans; both will shape the order. A third Soldic fight can wait, and it will mean more when it is worth a ranking.