In the world of professional fighting, it’s not just about who trains harder or punches faster—sometimes, fans believe luck (or bad luck) plays a role too.
And if you ask social media right now, rapper Drake seems to be carrying a “curse” that follows fighters into the Octagon.
The latest athlete tied to this theory is South African UFC star Dricus du Plessis, who recently lost his Middleweight World Champion title to Khamzat Chimaev.
Dricus Falls to Khamzat in the Octagon
On Saturday, 16 August, all eyes were on UFC 319.
The Russian-born Khamzat Chimaev stepped into the cage and completely dominated du Plessis, ending his short reign as champion.
But the conversation quickly shifted online, where fans weren’t just talking about the fight itself—they were pointing fingers at Drake.
Did Drake Really Bet on the Fight?
A claim circulating on Grok suggested that Drake had placed a massive $2 million (R35 million) bet on du Plessis to win by submission.
The catch? There’s no credible proof that the rapper actually made such a wager.
In fact, Drake himself hasn’t mentioned anything about betting on this particular fight.
This Wouldn’t Be the First Time
While it’s unclear if Drake bet this time around, it wouldn’t be his first link to du Plessis’ fights.
Back in January 2024, when du Plessis fought Sean Strickland in Canada, Drake attended in person—and openly showed off a $700,000 (R13 million) betting slip.
He had backed Strickland to win, but du Plessis came out on top via split decision, leaving the rapper with yet another costly loss.
Izzy, Strickland, Pereira… and More Losses
Drake’s history with UFC betting has been far from lucky.
In August 2024, he bet $450,000 (R7.9 million) on Nigerian fighter Israel “Izzy” Adesanya to reclaim his belt, but du Plessis again ruined the prediction by winning via submission.
This wasn’t the first time Adesanya let Drake down either.
In 2023, the rapper lost big betting on Izzy to beat Sean Strickland and later Alex Pereira.
Then in December 2023, he suffered yet another hit when his favorite Leon Edwards lost to Colby Covington at UFC 296.
The “Drake Curse” Lives On
From soccer matches to basketball finals, and now repeatedly in UFC, fans love to point to the so-called “Drake curse” whenever the artist backs an athlete.
Whether it’s pure coincidence or just bad timing, the narrative only grows stronger with every loss.
For du Plessis, it means his defeat isn’t just about what happened in the cage—it’s now wrapped up in superstition, memes, and plenty of online banter.
What Do You Think?
So, did Drake really put money on Dricus du Plessis this time, or is this just another social media story blown out of proportion?
Fans are debating it everywhere, but one thing’s for sure: whenever Drake gets involved, the spotlight isn’t just on the fight—it’s on the curse.
