TLDR
- Dricus Du Plessis’ coach Morne Visser called Kamaru Usman’s foul complaints “all nonsense” after their UFC Oklahoma City fight
- Usman claimed he was eye poked and hit with a low blow during the fight, but replays showed Du Plessis’ knuckle, not finger, struck his eye
- Visser said Du Plessis followed the game plan perfectly by staying composed and never pushing for a finish despite hurting Usman multiple times
- The coach believes Du Plessis could have finished Usman when he complained about fouls but showed respect by not pressing
- Du Plessis won by unanimous decision in what his coach called the best performance of his career after an 11-month layoff
Sources: mmajunkie.usatoday.com | bjpenn.com
Dricus Du Plessis’ coach has dismissed Kamaru Usman’s complaints about potential fouls during their UFC Fight Night 281 main event this past Saturday. Morne Visser called the claims “all nonsense” in an interview with Submission Radio.
Du Plessis defeated Usman by unanimous decision at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The South African fighter improved his UFC record to 10-1 with the victory over the former welterweight champion.
During the fight, Usman asked the referee to check for fouls on two separate occasions. He claimed he was poked in the eye and later struck with a low blow during the five-round contest.
The UFC broadcast team reviewed replays and determined that Du Plessis’ knuckle, not his finger, made contact with Usman’s eye. A knuckle strike to the eye is a legal technique and not considered a foul.
Coach Reveals Strategic Approach
Visser explained that the game plan was to stay composed and avoid rushing for a finish. He said Du Plessis followed instructions perfectly throughout the fight.
Dricus Du Plessis' coach: Kamaru Usman's foul calls 'all nonsense' https://t.co/4q9AfcC68a
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“The game plan was 100 percent to completely stay composed, and that’s what (Du Plessis) did,” Visser said. “Obviously he listens very well to me, so I’ve never ever pushed him through the whole fight to push for the finish.”
Usman was hurt multiple times during the bout and appeared to be in serious trouble on several occasions. Visser noted that Usman recovered quickly each time he was hurt badly.
“I saw that Kamaru does recover very quickly after getting hit that hard and punched that hard in the face,” the coach explained. “I mean, he was out a couple of times on his feet, but I shouted very loudly to Dricus just to stay composed and pick the shots because a guy who recovers that quickly is dangerous.”
Visser said his fighter could have pursued a stoppage when Usman complained about the alleged fouls. He believes Du Plessis showed restraint and respect by not pressing the action at those moments.
“You saw Kamaru complaining about a low blow and the thumb or the finger, all nonsense,” Visser stated. “Dricus could have finished him there, but he was just not pushing. He was just respectful.”
Best Performance to Date
The coach praised his fighter’s performance as the best of his career. He emphasized the pressure Du Plessis faced returning after a long layoff.
“This is the best I’ve seen Dricus ever or the world has seen him ever,” Visser said. “This was a high-pressure fight. I mean, this was our comeback fight after 10, 11 months off.”
Du Plessis was coming off a lopsided loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in January. He lost his middleweight title in that fight after being controlled on the ground for five rounds.
The victory over Usman marks a successful return to form for the former champion. Du Plessis has called for another middleweight title shot but said he will fight whoever helps him get back into title contention.
Usman now holds a 21-5 record and has not committed to which weight class he will compete in next. The 38-year-old moved up to middleweight for this fight after a legendary career at welterweight.
