> Dricus du Plessis Beats Kamaru Usman at UFC Oklahoma City, Calls for Middleweight Title Shot

Dricus du Plessis needed to prove the loss was an aberration, not a decline. At UFC Oklahoma City on July 18 at the Paycom Center, he did — beating up former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman over 25 minutes for a clear unanimous decision, his first win since dropping the middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. “Stillknocks 2.0 is here,” du Plessis said, and he now wants a shot at getting his belt back.

A Controlled Beating

Du Plessis couldn’t find the finish, but he rocked “The Nigerian Nightmare” several times and controlled the action throughout. By his own account, the performance was deliberate rather than frenzied. “I felt completely in that flow state tonight,” he said at the post-fight press conference. “Every round felt like it was mine.”

The standout wasn’t his striking — it was the wrestling. Du Plessis singled out his takedown defense as the night’s mission: “I’m glad I got taken down once, and I could show that, even if you get that, you’re not holding me down. The game plan worked perfectly.” Neutralizing Usman’s wrestling — the foundation of the former champion’s entire career — was the clearest sign of growth since the Chimaev loss.

Restraint as a Statement

Du Plessis framed his decision not to hunt the finish as the point. “I could have gone crazy and go for that finish, but I basically had four or five finishes tonight,” he said, casting the composure itself as evidence of a more complete fighter.

He was equally quick to credit Usman, calling it “crazy” how fast the veteran recovered each time he was hurt, and used the win to close the book on old friction with the “Three African Kings.” Having now beaten both Usman and Israel Adesanya, du Plessis said there was “no beef” — “two warriors going at it.” He noted the bout was only the second all-Africa main event in UFC history, and he’s been part of both.

What Comes Next

Du Plessis wants a title shot and dismissed the idea of Chimaev getting an immediate rematch ahead of him as “absolutely” ridiculous. Whether the UFC agrees will shape the top of the middleweight division — but with a dominant win over a credentialed former champion, du Plessis has forced his way back into the conversation.

Sources

• Dricus du Plessis: ‘Stillknocks 2.0 is here’ after beating Kamaru Usman at UFC Oklahoma City — MMA Fighting (Jed Meshew)

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