Dricus Du Plessis’ reign as UFC champion came to a dramatic close at UFC 319. At the packed United Center in Chicago, Dana White & Co. delivered a blockbuster fight card, widely regarded as one of the most electrifying of the year, featuring matchups that blended style, strategy, and sheer spectacle.
The main event left South African fans stunned. Dricus Du Plessis, who entered determined to challenge ‘Borz,’ ultimately surrendered his middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev, who allowed no margin for resistance. From the opening bell to the final seconds, ‘Borz’ controlled the fight, dominating 21 minutes and 40 seconds of the 25-minute bout and showcasing the cardio, relentless pressure, and precision that had previously invited doubt from critics.
When the final bell rang, the judges rendered a unanimous decision in Khamzat Chimaev’s favor—50-44 across the board—cementing him as the new middleweight champion. The loss was a bitter pill for Du Plessis’ family and friends, yet his longtime fiancée, Vasti Spiller, who has stood by ‘DDP’ through every high and low—even during grueling weight cuts—offered a message of encouragement on Instagram: “My world. This is just the beginning.”
Vasti Spiller first gained attention during the UFC 297 embedded vlog series, Episode 3, as Du Plessis prepared to face Khamzat Chimaev. Although ‘Stillknocks’ generally keeps his personal life private, social media has made it harder to separate the two. Throughout 2023, Spiller shared numerous photos of the couple, capturing their engagement and family moments. These images reflect the depth of their relationship.
Beyond being Dricus Du Plessis’ fiancée, Vasti Spiller is a boxing coach at CIT Gym, his training base, and an ambassador for the B Loved Foundation, a charitable organization. She also runs Barauch Photography, a business specializing in wedding and relationship photography.
Dricus Du Plessis shares mother’s take on Sean Strickland incident at UFC 296
Back in December 2023, Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis crossed paths at the T-Mobile Arena, sparking heated moments during the UFC 296 event. That encounter would later set the stage for their high-stakes showdown at UFC 297. In the lead-up to the fight, ‘Stillknocks’ leaned into his reputation for getting under opponents’ skin, dredging up past struggles—a tactic he deployed against Strickland that nearly pushed the American fighter to an emotional breaking point.
Strickland’s frustrations carried over into his promotional build-up for UFC 305, particularly during verbal exchanges with Israel Adesanya. Meanwhile, Du Plessis leaned into a “bad boy” persona at press conferences, generating online backlash from fans—and even from his own mother.
Speaking on Breakfast with Martin Bester, DDP reflected on the tension: “She got so angry at the Strickland saga when we had the thing in the crowd [UFC 296 scuffle with Sean Strickland] and at everything that was said. Every American fan, they hate losing, and they go, ‘No, he [Strickland] won the [controversial UFC 297] fight, it was a robbery,’ and she gets angry at it… [Once] I see my mom commented, and it happens all the time… Me and my mum have to talk about this once a week.”
Dricus Du Plessis has long leaned into the “bad boy” trash-talker persona, but this time, it didn’t land. When he tried to taunt the Chechen powerhouse Khamzat Chimaev, the Chicago crowd erupted behind “Borz,” chanting his name and effectively neutralizing DDP’s attempts to gain a psychological edge. The tactic that once rattled opponents fell flat against a crowd fully aligned with Chimaev’s dominance.
The post Dricus Du Plessis’ Fiancé Provides Emotional Support After Losing Title to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 appeared first on EssentiallySports.
