TLDR
- Dricus du Plessis defeated Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) at UFC Oklahoma City
- Du Plessis called for another title shot against current champion Sean Strickland, whom he has beaten twice before
- The win marks du Plessis’ return after losing to Khamzat Chimaev in August 2025
- Usman suffered his fourth loss in his past five fights and remains uncertain about his future
- Both fighters earned $100,000 Fight of the Night bonuses despite the one-sided scorecards
Sources: mmafighting.com | sports.yahoo.com
OKLAHOMA CITY — Former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis dominated Kamaru Usman on Saturday night, winning by unanimous decision in the main event at UFC Oklahoma City. The judges scored the fight 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46 in favor of du Plessis.
Both fighters entered the Paycom Center after nearly a year away from competition. Du Plessis, 32, used his speed and size advantage to control all five rounds against the former welterweight champion.
Du Plessis Controls Fight From Start to Finish
Du Plessis (24-3) landed powerful right hands throughout the fight. He mixed in heavy step-in knees and head kicks that repeatedly hurt Usman.
The South African fighter defended well against Usman’s limited takedown attempts. His best moments came in the second and fourth rounds when he hurt Usman multiple times with knees up the middle and head kicks.
In the second round, du Plessis landed a perfectly timed knee that rocked Usman. He followed with big right hands and multiple head kicks that left Usman struggling to survive.
Dricus Du Plessis opens up about how he dealt with his first loss in the UFC:
"I had to get up. There's so many South African kids that look up to me. It's bigger than me, I can't go lie down."
📺 @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/0hPaVXWZQf
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) July 19, 2026
The fourth round saw more punishment as du Plessis connected with several head kicks. One wobbled Usman badly, though the Nigerian fighter showed toughness by staying on his feet.
After the fight, du Plessis made his intentions clear in the octagon interview. “I’m back in the winner’s circle. Let’s get my belt back,” he said.
Du Plessis wants another shot at current UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland. He has defeated Strickland twice before in his career.
“When it comes to the title shot, I said a win wouldn’t give me a title shot,” du Plessis said. “But damn, a performance like that would give me a title shot.”
Usman’s Future Remains Uncertain
The loss marks Usman’s fourth defeat in his past five fights. The 39-year-old (21-5) did not commit to his fighting future after the bout.
Usman expressed frustration with one judge’s 50-45 scorecard. He also mentioned a possible thumb poke during the fight, though replays showed it was a punch.
“It’s very rarely I have an off night in here, and everyone gets it once in awhile, and I guess this one was mine,” Usman said.
The former champion said he needs to reassess his career. He did not rule out fighting at either welterweight (170 pounds) or middleweight (185 pounds) if he continues.
“As you can see, I still got it. I just need to go back and reassess,” Usman said. “I hate coming out here and not really representing my coaches, my training partners and my gym well.”
Usman added that he will go wherever opportunities exist. “Either division, wherever the opportunity’s at — that’s where I’m going,” he said.
The victory gets du Plessis back on track after suffering his only UFC loss. He was defeated by Khamzat Chimaev in August 2025.
Despite the one-sided scorecards, both fighters received $100,000 Fight of the Night bonuses. Tommy McMillen and Felipe Franco earned Performance of the Night bonuses for their finishes of Alberto Montes and Levi Rodrigues Jr.
