TLDR
- Dricus Du Plessis faces Kamaru Usman on July 18 at UFC Fight Night in Oklahoma City, marking the promotion’s first visit in nearly 10 years
- Du Plessis is the former middleweight champion ranked No. 2, while Usman is a former welterweight champion making his second middleweight appearance
- Du Plessis has a volume striking advantage but struggles with takedown defense at 34%, while Usman excels in wrestling with 89% takedown defense
- Jared Cannonier vs Christian Leroy Duncan serves as the co-main event in a ranked middleweight matchup
- The event streams on Paramount+ with prelims at 5 pm ET and main card at 8 pm ET
Sources: ufc.com | f4wonline.com
The UFC returns to Oklahoma City for the first time in nearly a decade with a main event featuring two former champions. Dricus Du Plessis will face Kamaru Usman on July 18 at Paycom Center in a middleweight bout that brings together elite-level experience from different divisions.
Du Plessis holds a 23-3 record and previously held the UFC middleweight championship. He currently ranks as the No. 2 contender in the division and has earned 20 of his 23 victories by stoppage.
The South African fighter has defeated top names including Sean Strickland twice, Israel Adesanya, and Robert Whittaker. His most recent fight was a loss to Khamzat Chimaev, where he struggled with takedown defense and was controlled for over 21 minutes.
Usman Returns to Middleweight Division
Usman brings a 21-4 record into the fight and is widely considered one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history. This will be his second appearance at middleweight after previously competing at 185 pounds.
The former welterweight champion has victories over Colby Covington twice, Jorge Masvidal twice, and Tyron Woodley. His most recent win came against Buckley in June 2025, where he landed four takedowns and controlled the fight for nearly 13 minutes.
The road back to gold runs through #UFCOKC.@DricusduPlessis vs @USMAN84kg
[ LIVE JULY 18 on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/spnoSjml97
— UFC (@ufc) July 13, 2026
Usman averages 4.16 strikes landed per minute throughout his career and maintains an 89% takedown defense rate. However, those statistics were built primarily at welterweight, making his middleweight performance against naturally bigger fighters an unknown factor.
Key Matchup Factors and Co-Main Event
Du Plessis lands 5.18 strikes per minute, giving him a volume advantage over Usman. The key concern for Du Plessis is his 34% takedown defense rate, which could be exploited by Usman’s wrestling background.
Both fighters have a 76-inch reach, but Du Plessis stands one inch taller. The size difference could play a role in grappling exchanges throughout the five-round main event.
The co-main event features No. 11 ranked Jared Cannonier against No. 13 Christian Leroy Duncan in a middleweight bout. Cannonier holds an 18-9 record and has earned bonus-winning victories over Gregory Rodrigues, Marvin Vettori, and Derek Brunson.
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Duncan enters with a 14-2 record and a winning streak that includes victories over Roman Dolidze, Marco Tulio, and Eryk Anders. The English fighter broke into the Top 15 rankings with those consecutive wins.
Other fighters on the card include fan favorite Kevin Holland facing undefeated prospect Jacobe Smith at welterweight. Chase Hooper and Mitch Ramirez will compete at lightweight, while several other prospects look to make their mark.
Tickets for the event are currently on sale through Ticketmaster with a limit of eight per person. The prelims will air at 5 pm ET, followed by the main card at 8 pm ET, with all bouts streaming live on Paramount+.
