Du Plessis Returns To Face Usman

Two former champions are returning to the Octagon — and Oklahoma City gets the fight.

Dricus Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman have been confirmed as the main event of UFC Oklahoma City, with the bout set at middleweight.

Du Plessis makes his first appearance since losing the UFC middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 last year — a defeat that ended an eleven-fight winning streak. The South African had built one of the more impressive runs in recent middleweight history, claiming the title from Sean Strickland at UFC 297 and successfully defending it against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 before winning a rematch with Strickland at UFC 312. Chimaev was the first man to stop that momentum, and Du Plessis has been absent since.

Usman's path to Oklahoma City looks different. The former welterweight king is making only his second appearance at middleweight, having debuted at 185 pounds against Chimaev at UFC 294 and lost by majority decision on short notice. His most recent outing was a welterweight victory over Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta last year — a win that ended a three-fight losing skid.

Usman's welterweight legacy is secure — five title defences, wins over Colby Covington, Gilbert Burns, and Jorge Masvidal, and a run that placed him among the finest champions in the division's history.

Du Plessis at full preparation, without the rust of an extended absence, is a dangerous proposition for anyone at 185. The question is whether the Chimaev loss revealed something permanent or simply identified an opponent built in the right mould to cause him problems.