Which Gym Does Dricus Du Plessis Train At? Coach, Training Partners & More

Dricus Du Plessis has taken over the world of mixed martial arts with his phenomenal fighting skills and undefeated UFC record. Becoming the UFC middleweight champion by defeating strong fighters like Robert Whittaker, Sean Strickland, and the legendary Israel Adesanya seemed like a piece of cake for the South African.

Such strong records and skills often make fight fans wonder about the training centers for such fighters. Today, we’ll take a deep dive into Dricus Du Plessis’ gym and his coaches.

Who is Dricus Du Plessis’ coach Morne Visser?

Dricus du Plessis has been training under Morne Visser, who leads the team as the head coach of the CIT Performance Institute. His coach has support from Marino Cutendana, Stephen de la Ray, Jaco du Plessis, JT Botha, and Niel Geyser, and a few more filling in as MMA coaches for various aspects of Dricus du Plessis’ fighting style.

The team also has Claudia Botha, who is the strength and conditioning coach. Wayne Harrison and Wayne Hulme as the Jiu-Jitsu coaches. Wayne Hulme also trains the young fighters and is the MMA coach for kids. It’s safe to say that Dricus Du Plessis has surrounded himself with arguably some of the best coaches in South Africa. But are the rest of his teammates equally good? Let’s find out!

Where does Dricus Du Plessis train? Gym and teammates

Dricus Du Plessis trains in Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa, and is proud of fighting out of his country and plans to stay there in order to help the sport grow in the country. He trains at the CIT Performance Institute, located near the University of Pretoria. For his fight camp, du Plessis has taken the help of some of the best fighters in Africa. In an Instagram post, the UFC middleweight champion can be seen taking the help of knockout artist, Diego Bandu and EFC welterweight champion, Mark Hulme.

‘Stillknocks’ is also training with Jaco Du Plessis, who is also another spectacular talent coming out of South Africa. The middleweight champion seems to have left no stone unturned in his fight against Sean Strickland. Leon Mynhardt, Ruan Potts, Cameron Saaiman, and Michiel Opperman are a few other teammates with names well-known in the fighting community.

Meanwhile, Dricus du Plessis’ relationship with his coach became a hot topic once when they were seen kissing each other after one of his UFC fighters. Let’s take a look at that front.

Why did Du Plessis kiss his coach?

The relationship between the coach and the reigning UFC middleweight champ has had the fighting community intrigued. Dricus du Plessis and Morne Visser have been spotted celebrating their victories with hugs and kisses on multiple occasions. This led Strickland to call Du Plessis out in an X-rated rant at the UFC 2024 Season Press Conference, about ‘Stillknocks’ and his relationship with Vissers. But the champ’s teammate and fellow African UFC fighter, Cameron Saaiman, in an interview, said, “Well, that’s how we were brought up.”

Cameron Saaiman saw nothing improper with the exchange of kisses between Dricus du Plessis and Morne Visser, citing it as a way of celebrating triumphs in South Africa. After Sean Strickland, no other fighter has talked much about that aspect of ‘Stillknocks’s unusual victory celebration.

Despite the debacle about his relationship with his coach, which died down with time, there’s only one question that remains. Will Du Plessis’ intensive training with Visser prove enough to ensure another victory against Sean Strickland at UFC 312 in their rematch this weekend? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.