Kamaru Usman calls himself 'moneyweight' fighter before UFC return

Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has no plans to commit to a single weight class.

Usman faces former middleweight titleholder Dricus Du Plessis at UFC Oklahoma City on July 18, and the Nigerian says he will bounce between 170 and 185 pounds based on opportunity rather than divisional loyalty. Per Sherdog, Usman told reporters he considers himself a "moneyweight fighter" who can handle both brackets. "It's not about '85 or '70. I can hit both," he said. "I'm not the biggest at both, and I'm not necessarily the smallest at both. I might be the smallest at '85, but who knows? But for me, it doesn't matter. I feel that I have the skills to be able to compete at either one."

Usman's middleweight move simplifies camp preparation

The 39-year-old snapped a three-fight losing streak with a decision win over welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley in his last outing but chose to stay at middleweight for the du Plessis fight. Usman said the move up has eased his training routine by eliminating the severe weight cut he dealt with at welterweight. He previously fought at 185 pounds once, dropping a majority decision to Khamzat Chimaev on short notice in 2023.

Du Plessis enters off his first career loss, a decision defeat to Chimaev that ended his unbeaten run. The South African held the middleweight title before that setback. Usman said he plans to chase fights that make sense at either weight class rather than lock himself into a single division. UFC Oklahoma City airs Saturday from Paycom Center.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Kamaru Usman calls himself a ‘moneyweight’ fighter before UFC return