Du Plessis Defeats Usman by Decision at UFC Oklahoma City
OKLAHOMA CITY — Dricus du Plessis defeated Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision in the UFC Oklahoma City main event on Saturday, according to UFC.com and ESPN. The result (verified) strengthens the South African's bid for another middleweight title shot.
By Source Reporters Newsdesk
Sun, 19 July 2026 · 1 min read
OKLAHOMA CITY — Dricus du Plessis defeated Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision in the UFC Oklahoma City main event on Saturday, according to UFC.com and ESPN. The result (verified) strengthens the South African's bid for another middleweight title shot.
Du Plessis, the former UFC middleweight champion, controlled the five-round bout at the Paycom Center, outstriking Usman across all rounds, ESPN reported. Usman, a former welterweight champion competing at middleweight, could not close the distance against the larger challenger, MMA Junkie reported.
On the undercard, Jared Cannonier won a decision and Tommy McMillen earned a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus for a knockout of Alberto Montes, MMA Mania reported. UFC.com published the full main-card results as official.
## How Du Plessis won the UFC Oklahoma City main event
The 31-year-old Du Plessis used pressure and output to neutralise Usman's wrestling, according to post-fight coverage from MMA Fighting and theScore. All three judges scored the contest in his favour.
## Global combat sports context
The bout paired two former UFC champions at a crossroads, a storyline with reach beyond North America. For African combat sport, Du Plessis's win underscores a deepening continental pipeline of elite contenders.
## Frequently asked questions
**Who won the UFC Oklahoma City main event?**
Dricus du Plessis defeated Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision on 18 July 2026 in Oklahoma City.
**What was the method of victory?**
Du Plessis won by unanimous decision after five rounds, according to UFC.com and ESPN.
**Related coverage:**
- [Du Plessis and Usman make weight at UFC Fight Night 281 weigh-in](https://sourcereporters.com/sport/du-plessis-and-usman-make-weight-at-ufc-fight-night-281-weigh-in-in-oklahoma-cit)
- [Source Reporters Combat Sports section](https://sourcereporters.com/sport/combat)
**External authority:** [UFC.com official event results](https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-fight-night-oklahoma-city)
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