Levi Rothermund
A “Moneyweight” Veteran Meets a Former Champion Chasing Greatness at UFC Fight Night 281
Both men are on weight, and Saturday’s middleweight main event is officially on. Dricus Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman each tipped the scales at 185 pounds, clearing the way for a matchup that carries very different stakes for each fighter heading into UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs. Usman at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on July 18, 2026. Prelims kick off at 5:00 PM, with the main card following at 8:00 PM.
Why This Fight Means Something Different to Each Man
Usman, at 39, has already built a Hall of Fame résumé as a former UFC welterweight champion and one of the greatest 170-pounders the sport has produced. But he’s made no secret that his priorities have shifted. Speaking at Wednesday’s press conference inside the Skirvin Hilton Hotel, Usman described himself as a fighter now chasing the biggest opportunities available to him rather than a specific title, saying he’d move up or down in weight depending on where the best fight is. He’d hoped for a matchup with Islam Makhachev, but noted the promotion ultimately steered him toward Du Plessis instead.
Du Plessis sees that shift in priorities as a meaningful distinction between the two men. The South African, who lost his middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev by unanimous decision in his last outing, called Usman a future Hall of Famer but suggested that labeling himself a “moneyweight fighter” signals Usman has stepped back from chasing the sport’s biggest prize. For Du Plessis, that prize remains the singular goal — he’s said plainly that being the greatest fighter to ever compete is still what drives him.
- Also read: UFC Fight Night Preview: Du Plessis vs. Usman Headlines Oklahoma City’s Return to the Octagon
Tale of the Tape: Two Complete Fighters, Contrasting Paths
| Category | Dricus Du Plessis | Kamaru Usman |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 23-3-0 | 21-4-0 |
| Age | 32 | 39 |
| Height | 6’1″ | 6’0″ |
| Weight | 185 lbs | 185 lbs |
| Reach | 76″ | 76″ |
| Stance | Switch | Switch |
| Strikes Landed/Min | 5.18 | 4.16 |
| Striking Accuracy | 48% | 51% |
| Strikes Absorbed/Min | 4.33 | 2.67 |
| Takedown Avg/15 min | 2.22 | 2.79 |
| Takedown Accuracy | 51% | 44% |
| Takedown Defense | 34% | 89% |
| Submission Avg/15 min | 0.7 | 0.1 |
The numbers tell a clear story. Du Plessis is the higher-volume striker who absorbs more in return, while Usman lands with sharper accuracy and defends takedowns at an elite level — a statistic that could prove decisive if Du Plessis tries to change levels and put him on his back.
Usman’s Wrestling Foundation Still Shapes His Game
Usman’s roots run deep into wrestling. Born in Nigeria and raised near Dallas, he won a Division II national championship at Nebraska-Kearney in 2010 and earned three All-American honors along the way. That base has underpinned his UFC career, even as he’s evolved into a more complete striker over the years.
Heading into Saturday, Usman said he wasn’t locking himself into a single gameplan. He indicated he’s open to whatever the fight becomes — a striking battle, a wrestling clinic, or something in between — and that his focus is on reading what Du Plessis gives him and exploiting it. He described his broader approach simply as being a complete fighter capable of dominating regardless of how the fight unfolds.
How Each Man Got Here: Recent Form
| Date | Fighter | Opponent | Result | Method | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 17, 2025 | Du Plessis | K. Chimaev | Loss | Unanimous Decision | 5 |
| Feb 9, 2025 | Du Plessis | S. Strickland | Win | Unanimous Decision | 5 |
| Aug 18, 2024 | Du Plessis | I. Adesanya | Win | Submission | 4 |
| Jan 21, 2024 | Du Plessis | S. Strickland | Win | Split Decision | 5 |
| Jul 9, 2023 | Du Plessis | R. Whittaker | Win | KO/TKO | 2 |
Du Plessis arrives off the first loss of his UFC middleweight title reign, dropping the belt to Chimaev last August. Usman, meanwhile, is riding a bounce-back win over Joaquin Buckley by unanimous decision on June 14, 2025 — his second straight victory since a majority-decision loss to Chimaev in his own middleweight debut back in October 2023.
Notably, this marks just the second time Usman has competed at 185 pounds, making Saturday something of a proving ground for whether his move up in weight can produce more consistent results than his first attempt.
- Also read: Du Plessis vs. Usman Tickets: Everything You Need to Know for UFC’s Return to Oklahoma City
The Historical Weight Behind This Matchup
Du Plessis holds a unique place in UFC history as the first South African to win a UFC title, and a win here would go a long way toward positioning him for another crack at the belt he lost to Chimaev. For Usman, a victory would mark back-to-back wins across two different weight classes late in his career — a statement that his “moneyweight” approach can still produce elite-level results against a former champion in his prime.
For those weighing up how the numbers stack up ahead of Saturday, Tips.gg offers deeper odds analysis and fight predictions worth checking before making a call on this one.
What to Watch For Saturday Night
The tale of the tape suggests this fight could hinge on one exchange: can Du Plessis find a way to change levels against a fighter with 89% takedown defense, or does Usman’s precision striking keep this standing, where his lower output but higher accuracy could make the difference over five rounds? Whatever the answer, Saturday’s result will shape the middleweight picture heading into the back half of 2026 — and could determine whether Du Plessis gets an immediate route back to gold, or whether Usman’s late-career reinvention has another chapter left to write.