South African fighter held the middleweight belt from January 2024 until August 2025 when he lost to Chimaev.
Published On 19 Jul 2026
Dricus Du Plessis has leaned on his South African roots in his first fight in nearly a year to secure a victory by unanimous decision over Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman in the middleweight main event of UFC Fight Night in Oklahoma City.
The judges on Saturday scored the bout 50-45, 49-46, 49-46 in favour of Du Plessis (24-3 MMA), who won his first nine UFC bouts and held the middleweight belt from January 2024 until mid-August last year.
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Du Plessis hadn’t fought since that winning streak was snapped by Khamzat Chimaev, who remains champion.
“I had to get up,” the 32-year-old said. “There’s so many South African kids that look up to me.
“It’s bigger than me. I can’t go lie down.”
In a fight contested upright with no successful takedowns or submission attempts, Du Plessis didn’t appear rusty whatsoever, finishing with a convincing 139-99 edge in total strikes and landing 136 significant strikes to Usman’s 92.
Usman (21-5) was the UFC welterweight champion from March 2019 to November 2021. However, the Nigerian, 39, has lost four of his last five fights and couldn’t add a second straight win in his first fight in 13 months this weekend.
In the middleweight co-main event, England’s Christian Leroy Duncan (15-2) defeated Jared Cannonier (18-10 MMA) via unanimous decision. The scorecards read 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 for Duncan.
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