Dricus du Plessis dominantly defeated Kamaru Usman and reopened his path toward the UFC belt
Dricus du Plessis returned to winning ways with a convincing performance in the main event of the UFC card held on July 18, 2026, at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The former middleweight champion defeated Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision after five rounds, with scorecards of 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46. The South African controlled the distance for most of the bout, dictated the pace and landed a wider variety of strikes, while the former welterweight champion created his greatest threat only in the closing minutes. In the final round, Usman attempted to turn the fight around with a powerful surge and wide right hands along the fence, but du Plessis's advantage from the previous rounds was too great. After the winner was announced, du Plessis made it clear that he wanted another opportunity to challenge for the championship.
The victory was important for the 32-year-old South African because of the manner in which it was achieved. He returned to the octagon after losing to Khamzat Chimaev in August 2025, when he lost the middleweight title and suffered his first UFC defeat. Against Usman, he not only ended his winless period but also showed that, following his problems with defensive wrestling in the fight against Chimaev, he was capable of adapting against one of the most successful wrestlers in welterweight history. According to official data from ESPN's FightCenter, du Plessis finished the fight with 136 significant strikes, while Usman recorded 92. The South African's overall professional record consequently improved to 24 wins and three losses, while Usman's fell to 21-5.
Du Plessis immediately took control of the center of the octagon
From the opening minute, it was clear that du Plessis did not want to allow Usman to establish his familiar rhythm based on pressure, level changes and work along the fence. He took the center of the octagon, began landing low and high kicks and used his advantages in reach and physical strength. According to MMA Fighting's round-by-round report, Usman was already having difficulty judging the distance in the opening period, and one powerful right hand briefly disrupted his balance. Du Plessis frequently combined the jab with a left high kick, forcing the Nigerian-American to retreat instead of setting up takedowns. Usman occasionally managed to enter the clinch, but he did not keep his opponent against the fence for long or create serious damage from those positions.
The second round was the clearest example of du Plessis's dominance. The South African landed a left high kick twice, followed by a standing knee and a series of strikes that opened a cut near Usman's eye. Whenever Usman attempted to change levels and attack the legs, du Plessis disengaged, returned the fight to open space and responded with a knee or a short combination. That pattern was particularly important in the context of his previous defeat, because he had spent almost the entire fight against Chimaev under pressure on the ground. In Oklahoma City, his takedown defense was considerably stronger, while his reactions after the clinch were quicker and more disciplined. Usman endured the heaviest strikes, but after only ten minutes he was already forced to overcome a noticeable deficit on the scorecards.
Usman attempted to slow the pace but could not stop the attacks
In the third round, Usman appeared calmer and began using the front kick to the body more frequently in order to halt his opponent's forward movement. He managed to connect with several straight punches and, at least briefly, forced du Plessis to think more about defense. MMA Fighting also recorded his most successful takedown attempt in that portion of the fight, but the South African quickly returned to his feet and again responded with a knee. Du Plessis switched stances, attacked the body and continued searching for the left high kick, which became one of his most effective weapons during the evening. Although the round was more competitive than the first two, most of the open exchanges still ended in favor of the former middleweight champion.
Usman attempted to increase the pressure and occupy the center of the octagon in the fourth round. His intention was clear: close the distance, force du Plessis to retreat and create an opportunity for a right hand or an entry on the legs. However, the South African maintained his accuracy and again connected with the left high kick, combinations to the head and a powerful straight right. Usman gestured several times that the strikes had not seriously hurt him, but he was absorbing more clean shots and was unable to connect his attacks into longer combinations. Du Plessis therefore entered the final five minutes with security on the scorecards, although his style still did not allow him to protect his advantage in a completely passive manner.
Usman's late surge did not change the decision
The fifth round produced the most dramatic portion of the fight. After a brief stoppage caused by an accidental groin strike, du Plessis launched another series of high kicks and attempted to finish the contest before the judges' decision. Usman withstood the surge, defended a takedown attempt and then began driving his more exhausted opponent toward the fence. In the final minute, he landed several powerful strikes, and during the final fifteen seconds he threw big right hands in an attempt to find a finishing knockout. Du Plessis covered up, moved laterally and reached the final horn without being placed in serious danger. Some reporters awarded the fifth round to Usman, but the judges believed the South African had done enough to win at least four rounds, while one scored all five in his favor.
The statistics further explain the breadth of the victory. According to ESPN, du Plessis landed 139 total strikes from 278 attempts, while Usman landed 99 from 244. The difference was particularly large in strikes to the head, where the South African recorded 102 significant connections compared with Usman's 49. Usman was more successful with attacks to the body, but he failed to turn that segment into control of the pace or sustained pressure. Du Plessis's ability to threaten simultaneously with kicks, knees and boxing combinations made it difficult for the former welterweight champion to read his attacks. Although the contest did not end by stoppage, the UFC declared it Fight of the Night, confirming that Usman's durability and late comeback contributed to the overall impression.
Return after his first UFC defeat
For du Plessis, the appearance in Oklahoma City was his first since August 2025, when Chimaev defeated him by unanimous decision with scores of 50-44 on all three cards and took his title. That loss ended an eleven-fight winning streak and an unbeaten period that had lasted almost seven years. In its preview of the event, the UFC emphasized that takedown defense was the biggest question ahead of his return, especially because Usman stood on the opposite side, a former NCAA wrestler and a fighter who had dominated the welterweight division for years through pressure, control and conditioning. Du Plessis responded with greater tactical maturity than in his previous appearance. He did not allow one failed attack or a brief clinch to keep him in a defensive position, but quickly returned the fight to the area in which he held the advantage.
His path to the top of the middleweight division was rapid and marked by victories over the strongest names in the division. According to his official UFC profile, Robert Whittaker was stopped in the second round in July 2023, after which du Plessis defeated Sean Strickland by split decision in January 2024 to win the title. He then defended the belt by submitting Israel Adesanya in August 2024 and by earning a unanimous decision in the rematch against Strickland in February 2025. The loss to Chimaev halted that rise, but the victory over Usman once again places him in the immediate vicinity of a title fight. His current sequence of significant victories includes two triumphs over Strickland as well as wins against Adesanya, Whittaker and Usman, giving him a strong argument in discussions about the next challenger.
Strickland is champion again, du Plessis seeks a third meeting
The situation at the top of the middleweight division changed after Sean Strickland defeated Chimaev by split decision at UFC 328 on May 9, 2026, and became champion for the second time. Official UFC results list scorecards of 47-48, 48-47 and 48-47 in favor of the American. Du Plessis has already defeated Strickland twice, so their third fight would have a clear sporting and historical foundation. After his victory in Oklahoma City, he briefly said that he was back in the win column and wanted his belt back. At the same time, as of July 19, the UFC had not officially announced his next appearance or confirmed that he would immediately receive a title opportunity.
The organization's decision will also depend on the schedules of the other leading challengers, the champion's health and commercial plans for the second half of 2026. Nevertheless, du Plessis completed the most important part of the task: he defeated a big-name opponent in a five-round fight and demonstrated improvement precisely in the area that had been exposed in his only UFC loss. His victory was not the result of one sudden strike, but of twenty-five minutes of tactical control, physical strength and a greater number of clean connections. In a division in which the rankings have changed frequently in recent years, such a performance carries more weight than a routine victory over a lower-ranked opponent. A third meeting with Strickland therefore presents itself as a logical possibility, although official confirmation does not yet exist.
Usman's future remains open between two divisions
For Kamaru Usman, the defeat represents another setback after he returned from nearly two years of inactivity by defeating Joaquin Buckley in June 2025. Official UFC results show that he won by unanimous decision with scores of 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47, relying on wrestling and his experience in five-round fights. Before that, he had lost three consecutive bouts: twice to Leon Edwards, including the knockout that cost him the welterweight belt in August 2022, and by majority decision to Chimaev at middleweight in October 2023. The meeting with du Plessis was supposed to show whether he could permanently move among fighters competing at up to 84 kilograms and immediately enter the battle near the top. Instead, the difference in size and strength was visible in most exchanges.
Usman's career nevertheless remains one of the most successful in the modern history of the welterweight division. According to his official UFC profile, he won the title against Tyron Woodley in 2019 and then successfully defended it five times, against Colby Covington twice, Jorge Masvidal twice and Gilbert Burns. After the fight in Oklahoma City, he did not announce his retirement. In a statement recorded after the bout, he admitted that he had experienced a bad night but had not decided whether his next appearance would again be at welterweight or middleweight. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the 50-45 scorecard and mentioned a possible eye poke, although he simultaneously gave credit to du Plessis. His final round showed that he can still maintain a high intensity, but for another attempt at the belt he will have to choose a division in which he can put together several victories.
Oklahoma City received a main event between two former champions
The event marked the UFC's return to Oklahoma City after almost ten years and the organization's first appearance at Paycom Center. The main event brought together two former champions from different weight classes, with Usman competing above his long-standing welterweight limit and du Plessis defending his position among the leading middleweight contenders. That context gave the fight greater significance than a typical Fight Night main event. The winner would gain a direct argument in title discussions, while the loser risked moving further away from the top in the late stage of his career. Du Plessis used that opportunity without leaving any doubt on the judges' scorecards.
The organizers awarded the bout Fight of the Night honors, while Tommy McMillen and Felipe Franco received Performance of the Night bonuses, according to a report by MMA Mania. Nevertheless, the sporting focus after the end of the card remained on the main event and the new balance of power in the middleweight division. Du Plessis returned with a victory over one of the best-known fighters of his generation and did not have to rely on a disputed split decision or a late stoppage. Usman endured all five rounds and, in the closing stages, reminded observers of the fighter who had broken opponents with his pace for years, but he failed to seize the initiative early enough. The UFC's next move will reveal whether the victory in Oklahoma City was a direct title eliminator or merely the first step in du Plessis's new rise.
Sources:
- UFC – official results and information about the UFC Oklahoma City event held on July 18, 2026. (link)
- ESPN – official FightCenter data, judges' scorecards and statistics for the du Plessis – Usman fight (link)
- MMA Fighting – round-by-round report, key moments and statements following the main event (link)
- UFC – official profile of Dricus du Plessis and overview of his results in the organization (link)
- UFC – official profile of Kamaru Usman and overview of his championship career (link)
- UFC – UFC 328 results and confirmation that Sean Strickland regained the middleweight title (link)
- MMA Mania – list of bonuses and awards following the Oklahoma City event (link)