TLDR
- Dricus du Plessis faces Kamaru Usman on July 18 at UFC Oklahoma City in a battle of former champions
- Du Plessis opens as a heavy favorite at -350, with Usman at +285 underdog odds
- This is du Plessis’ first fight since losing the middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev in August 2025
- Usman returns to middleweight after beating Joaquin Buckley at welterweight in June 2025
- Both fighters have recent losses to current champion Khamzat Chimaev
Sources: mmafighting.com | mmajunkie.usatoday.com
Former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis will face former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City on July 18. The fight was officially announced during Saturday’s UFC Vegas 119 broadcast.
The card takes place at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City and will stream exclusively on Paramount+ in the United States. This event follows one week after Conor McGregor’s return fight.
Betting Odds Favor Du Plessis
According to multiple sportsbooks, du Plessis opens as a heavy favorite in the matchup. BetOnline lists du Plessis at -350, while Usman comes back at +285.
DraftKings has similar numbers with du Plessis at -340 and Usman at +270. A $350 bet on du Plessis would return $100 in profit, while a $100 bet on Usman would earn $285 if he wins.
This will mark du Plessis’ first fight since losing the middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in August 2025. Du Plessis was dominated in a lopsided decision that ended his championship reign.
The South African fighter had a successful run as champion before that loss. He won the title by defeating Sean Strickland at UFC 297 and successfully defended it twice against Strickland and Israel Adesanya.
Du Plessis holds a 23-3 overall record and went 9-1 in the UFC before the Chimaev defeat. The loss to Chimaev snapped an 11-fight winning streak for “Stillknocks.”
🏆Dricus Du Plessis is always up for the challenge, fighting the best of the best!
💪 The last 6 fights of Dricus du Plessis have all been against current or former UFC champions.👑That's a true test of greatness! pic.twitter.com/vmpzwAf1A9
— MMA Pros Pick (@MMA_PROS_PICK_) June 24, 2026
Usman Returns to Middleweight
Usman returns to the middleweight division for this fight after competing at welterweight in his last bout. The former welterweight champion defeated Joaquin Buckley by decision in the main event of UFC Atlanta in June 2025.
That victory ended a difficult three-fight losing streak for “The Nigerian Nightmare.” The skid included an all-time knockout loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 278 in August 2022.
Usman also lost a clear decision in the rematch with Edwards seven months later. His third straight loss came against Chimaev in October 2023, a competitive majority decision at middleweight on short notice.
The win over Buckley marked Usman’s first victory in nearly four years. Usman holds a 21-4 overall record and is 16-3 in the UFC.
Both fighters have now lost to current middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev in their most recent middleweight bouts. Usman will be returning after another year-plus layoff since his June 2025 victory.
The Oklahoma City card represents a chance for du Plessis to bounce back into title contention. For Usman, it offers an opportunity to prove he can still compete at the highest level in the middleweight division.
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