Dricus Du Plessis draws SA fans in historic showdown

South Africa’s Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis, has solidified his place as a viewer magnet.

Du Plessis drew record viewership numbers in the run-up to the Israel Adesanya bout, racking up a massive 382 219 viewers when facing Sean Strickland in January this year.

His title-defence bout against the Nigerian-born Adesanya in August saw a total audience of 307 619, ensuring both events as historical moments in audience figures for live UFC broadcasts.

From his first televised fight in 2022 through to the Adensanya event, Du Plessis captivated 1033% more live viewers than any of his previous fights, and a live unique audience 120% higher than the best performing non-Du Plessis UFC event.

This makes it evident that South African sports heroes continue to draw local audiences. In this case, viewers were not even daunted by the fight card’s 3 AM start time. This is according to Nielsen Sports SA data. 

Last year’s Rugby World Cup and the 2023/2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) revealed that South African sports fans uncompromisingly turn up to support local sporting heroes. And the recent Dricus Du Plessis title defence bout against Adesanya reinforced their dedication.  

SuperSport viewers watched an impressive 605,652 in total broadcast hours, capturing 528,767 total unique viewers – a significant milestone for a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) broadcast in South Africa. Notably, 28% of the audience had watched the content more than once, demonstrating Du Plessis’ broad appeal and the fight’s replay value.

Notably, the national broadcast was tiered down to non-premium subscriber platforms, making the fight available to a wider and more diverse audience. 61% of the audience who watched the live broadcast on SuperSport Action watched 75% or more of the broadcast without changing channels – a first for an early morning UFC event.

SuperSport’s multi-language offering has also become a key feature for sports viewers enjoying the sport in either English, Afrikaans or isiXhosa – three official South African languages.

The additional feature was first introduced when Du Plessis dethroned American Sean Strickland in January 2024 and it continued when he faced Adesanya.

Additional inserts added heightened exposure for the event, with Gauteng leading the national reach, accounting for 29% of the total audience.

The record-breaking viewership – surpassing the previous total for non-Du Plessis UFC events by 120% – reveals that, for the most part, South Africans are not put off by irregular time slots when it comes to supporting local heroes like du Plessis; and for advertisers, South African sports fanaticism presents a unique opportunity, says Duncan Stead, Commercial Manager at Nielsen Sports SA:

“Sport is an exceptional unifier for South Africans, providing a welcome escape from everyday life and a point of national pride when local sportspeople excel internationally. 

“For brands, events such as the Dricus Du Plessis fight present a chance to connect with an audience in a ‘feelgood’ state of mind as they stand behind their heroes. We saw the unwavering loyalty from SA fans arriving at the airport to welcome back the champ. This national zeitgeist is a significant win for South African fans brands alike.”

Springboks Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth joining Team Du Plessis for Dricus’ walk-in for the Adesanya fight highlighted the cross-over appeal UFC has achieved since Du Plessis’ rise in stature.

The sport has transcended MMA and become relatable to a broader audience due to such collaboration between sports stars, which has increased its engagement appeal.

As MMA fandom continues to grow in South Africa, propelled by athletes like Dricus Du Plessis, South Africa awaits the next SA sports phenomenon to rally behind – and forward-thinking brands are onboard, too.