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South African fighter held the middleweight belt from January 2024 until mid-August 2025, when he lost to Chimaev.
Published On 19 Jul 2026
Dricus Du Plessis leaned on his South African roots in his first fight in nearly a year to secure a unanimous decision victory over Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman in the middleweight main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Oklahoma City.
The judges 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 2025.
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Du Plessis hadn’t fought since that win 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.”
Dricus Du Plessis, right, fights Kamaru Usman during UFC Fight Night at Paycom Center [Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images via Reuters]In a fight fought 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 landed 136 significant strikes to Usman’s 92.
Usman (21-5) was the UFC welterweight champion for nearly three years 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 with 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.
