Du Plessis Beats Usman at UFC Oklahoma City
Post-fight update, October 22, 2026: Dricus du Plessis defeated Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision (50–45, 49–46, 49–46) in their UFC Fight Night main event in Oklahoma City on July 18. The analysis below was written before the fight and reflects Chael Sonnen’s pre-fight view of the matchup.
UFC Oklahoma City Result: Du Plessis Defeats Usman
Sonnen discussed the booking before the July 18 event was held. Usman moved up from welterweight for the middleweight bout, but the contest is now complete: du Plessis won all three judges’ scorecards.
Sonnen framed the bout as a possible route back toward title contention. The fight is now complete: du Plessis won by unanimous decision.
Why This Matchup Matters
At the time of Sonnen’s analysis, both men had a history with Sean Strickland. Du Plessis had defeated Strickland to win the middleweight title; Usman had already defeated Strickland by decision at UFC 210 in 2017, so another meeting would be a rematch. The July 18 bout with Usman is now complete, and du Plessis won by unanimous decision.
The shared history helped frame Sonnen’s pre-fight analysis. The result did not settle the middleweight title picture: du Plessis won, while Sean Strickland’s next title defense had not been announced as of October 22.
What This Means for Chimaev, Imavov, and the Rest of the Pack
Sonnen discussed possible ripple effects. Usman’s move to middleweight produced a one-off high-profile matchup; after his loss, he did not establish himself as a permanent 185-pound contender.
He questioned what this means for contenders like:
- Khamzat Chimaev, who won the UFC middleweight championship in 2025 before losing it to Strickland at UFC 328.
- Nassourdine Imavov, who has quietly built momentum and is angling for his own shot at elite opposition.
Sonnen presented the matchup as a possible route back toward the title picture. Du Plessis’ win added a victory after losing the middleweight belt to Khamzat Chimaev in 2025; Usman did not earn a title shot from this defeat.
Usman’s Career Crossroads
Before this bout, Usman was coming off a win over Joaquin Buckley at welterweight and had sought another opportunity at 170 pounds. He lost the July 2026 middleweight bout by unanimous decision.
Chael openly wondered what the UFC offered to convince Usman to make the jump. Was it a guaranteed path to a title shot? A major payday? A promise of marquee placement?
Usman accepted the bout but did not continue competing at middleweight after the loss.
Du Plessis Does What Du Plessis Always Does
Before the event, Sonnen praised Dricus du Plessis for accepting the matchup, calling it “typical” of the South African. The July result was a unanimous-decision win over Usman.
Rather than waiting for a title rematch, du Plessis faced former welterweight champion Usman and won by unanimous decision.
That was Sonnen’s pre-fight view; the bout is now a completed result.
The Bottom Line
Kamaru Usman vs. Dricus du Plessis was a completed middleweight bout; du Plessis won by unanimous decision.
The result gave du Plessis a rebound win after his title loss and left Usman’s proposed middleweight move without a win.
If Chael Sonnen is right — and he usually is when it comes to matchmaking politics — this fight did not determine Sean Strickland’s next challenger. As of October 22, the UFC has not announced his next title defense.
Sources
- Chael Sonnen – YouTube (commentary and analysis)
Article Tags
UFC, MMA, Kamaru Usman, Dricus du Plessis, Sean Strickland, Khamzat Chimaev, Nassourdine Imavov, Middleweight Division, Combat Sports News, Chael Sonnen
