UFC Fight Night Oklahoma City: Du Plessis vs Usman Set for Saturday Main Event

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma — Former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis meets former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in the main event of UFC Fight Night 281 on Saturday, 18 July 2026, at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, according to UFC.com and event listings on Tapology and Wikipedia.

All fighters on the 12-bout card weighed in Friday, 17 July, UFC.com reported. MMA Weekly reported that two fighters missed weight at the official weigh-ins, though the promotion had not immediately confirmed which bouts were affected. The main event remains a middleweight contest at 185 pounds, with Usman returning to the division after a welterweight decision win over Joaquin Buckley, Cageside Press reported.

The card is scheduled to open with prelims at 10 p.m. BST, followed by the main card at 1 a.m. BST on Sunday, UFC's broadcast schedule shows. Final results are Unverified; Source Reporters will update the main-event outcome once official scoring is released.

**Global angle:** Usman, nicknamed "The Nigerian Nightmare," carries strong fan interest in Nigeria and across Africa, where his bouts draw large live audiences, underscoring the event's reach well beyond North America.

**Confidence:** Attributed — UFC.com, MMA Junkie, MMA Weekly, Tapology, Wikipedia (17 Jul 2026; UFC.com direct). Main-event result Unverified (event pending). "Two fighters missed weight" attributed to MMA Weekly; fighters unnamed.

**Sources** - https://sourcereporters.com/sport/ufc - https://sourcereporters.com/sport/combat-sports - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_Fight_Night:_du_Plessis_vs._Usman

*Source Reporters corrects errors promptly. Report corrections to corrections@sourcereporters.com.*