Du Plessis Decisions Usman in UFC Oklahoma City Main Event

OKLAHOMA CITY — South Africa's Dricus Du Plessis returned to the win column with a dominant unanimous-decision victory over former welterweight king Kamaru Usman in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City (Fight Night 281) at the Paycom Center on Saturday, according to MMA Junkie.

The judges scored the middleweight contest 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46 in favour of Du Plessis (24-3 MMA, 10-1 UFC), the promotion reported. Usman (21-5 MMA, 16-4 UFC) suffered the fifth defeat of his professional career.

Du Plessis, a former UFC middleweight champion, controlled the striking and grappling exchanges throughout, rebounding from a loss earlier in 2026, MMA Junkie said. Usman, a former 170-pound champion, was moving up in weight for the bout.

The result strengthens Du Plessis's case for another title opportunity, while Usman's run at 185 pounds begins with a setback, Yahoo Sports UK noted.

## UFC Oklahoma City Results: Main Event

The verdict extends a strong 2026 for the UFC's international roster and underlines the promotion's expanding footprint in the U.S. heartland, with Oklahoma City hosting a stacked Fight Night card before a sellout crowd.

**External links:** [MMA Junkie — Oklahoma City results](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/story/sports/ufc/2026/07/18/ufc-oklahoma-city-dricus-du-plessis-vs-kamaru-usman/90971208007/) · [Yahoo Sports UK — UFC OKC live results](https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/ufc-okc-live-results-dricus-du-plessis-vs-kamaru-usman-updates-round-by-round-scoring-highlights-053000979.html) **Internal link:** [Source Reporters — Combat Sports coverage](https://sourcereporters.com/sport/combat/)

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