Outside Source
Dricus Du Plessis will return at UFC Oklahoma City. | Getty/UFC
Oklahoma City is getting a marquee middleweight matchup.
Dricus Du Plessis will square off against Kamaru Usman in a matchup of former 185-pound title holders in the UFC Oklahoma City headliner, the Las Vegas-based promotion announced on Saturday. The event, also known as UFC Fight Night 281, takes place at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and airs in its entirety on Paramount+.
High Stakes Affair
Du Plessis hasn’t competed since last August, when he relinquished the middleweight crown in a lopsided unanimous decision loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. Prior to that, the South African standout was 9-0 in the Octagon, earning notable victories against the likes of Sean Strickland (twice), Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, Derek Brunson and Darren Till.
Usman is back in action for the first time since he outpointed Joaquin Buckley in the UFC on ESPN 69 headliner last June. While there were rumors that “The Nigerian Nightmare” would be next in line for a title shot against Islam Makhachev, that ultimately did not come to fruition. Usman’s welterweight championship reign began with a five-round verdict over Tyron Woodley at UFC 235, and he authored five successful defenses before relinquishing the strap to Leon Edwards in August 2022.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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