Former UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis defeated former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision on Saturday, July 18, in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Oklahoma City, with judges scoring the five-round bout 49-46, 49-46, and 50-45.
The fight, held at the Paycom Center, marked a significant test for both men. South Africa's Du Plessis, who held the middleweight title from January 2024 until losing it last year, used improved takedown defense to neutralize Usman's wrestling attacks before turning to a varied striking attack, including a repeated question-mark kick, to control the fight from range. Nigerian-born Usman, who was the UFC's welterweight champion from 2019 to 2021 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in the promotion's history, was moving up in weight for the bout and struggled to find an answer to Du Plessis's pace over the full 25 minutes.
Both fighters were awarded the $100,000 Fight of the Night bonus for a contest that officials and fans praised as one of the more competitive main events of the year, even though it did not go the distance in dramatic fashion.
The win puts Du Plessis back into contention for a rematch with the current middleweight champion, having lost the belt in a title fight last year. For Usman, the loss raises questions about his path forward at 185 pounds after a decorated career mostly spent at welterweight, where he defended his title multiple times before back-to-back losses ended that reign.
Neither fighter's team has confirmed next steps, though UFC matchmakers are expected to weigh both results as they build out the middleweight division's next set of contender fights. The promotion's next major event is scheduled for July 25 in Abu Dhabi, followed by cards in Belgrade and Shanghai in August, as the UFC continues an active summer schedule across multiple continents and weight classes.
