Dricus du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman headlines UFC Oklahoma City

Dricus du Plessis will headline UFC Oklahoma City against Kamaru Usman on July 18 at the Paycom Center, marking the UFC's first Oklahoma City event in nearly a decade. Du Plessis makes his return to action following his middleweight title loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in August 2024. Before that defeat, du Plessis had captured the belt by defeating Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in January 2024 and successfully defended it twice—against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in August and Strickland again at UFC 312 in February 2025. Usman, a former welterweight champion, moves up to 185 pounds in hopes of positioning himself for a second world title. He recently snapped a nearly four-year winless drought with a dominant decision victory over Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta in June 2025. This main event pits two former title holders against each other in a significant middleweight bout with championship implications.