This is the live blog for Dricus du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman, the middleweight main event for Saturday’s UFC Oklahoma City card at Paycom Center in Oklahoma.
A former UFC middleweight champion, du Plessis has been out of action for nearly a year, last fighting in August when he dropped his title to Khamzat Chimaev in a defeat defined by du Plessis’ inability to stop takedowns. Now, “DDP” is finally ready to get back in the cage and make another run at the belt, and he starts with one of the best wrestlers in welterweight history, Kamaru Usman.
Like du Plessis, Usman is a former champion, holding the UFC’s welterweight title for enough years to nearly get into the conversation for divisional GOAT alongside Georges St-Pierre. An upset loss to Leon Edwards ended all that and started a tough slide for Usman, who rebounded with a win last summer over Joaquin Buckley in Atlanta. Now, Usman hopes to earn a title shot with a win over the former middleweight champion, either at middleweight or welterweight.
Check out the UFC Oklahoma City: du Plessis vs. Usman live blog below.
Pre Fight
Fence grabs, illegal knees, and more… It was a bit of a strange affair in the middleweight co-main between Jared Cannonier and Christian Leroy Duncan. Totally unrelated to the action in the cage, but reigning UFC champ Justin Gaethje definitely got the biggest pop from the crowd when the production team showed him on the big screen.
So with the crowd buzzing, and a killer promo package airing, Du Plessis and Usman finally made their way to the octagon. Ever the showman, Usman danced his way through the fighter checkpoint with the legendary Henri Hooft and Trevor Wittman in his corner. Not to be outdone, Du Plessis hit the arena with his signature ‘Live It Up’ by Airbourne walkout song.
Round 1
With a touch of the gloves, we are underway! Du Plessis immediately takes center of hte octagon and lands a kick, followed by a counter left. Usman feints the takedown, but Du Plessis doesn’t bite. Du Plessis connects with a leg kick and a left high kick. Usman blocks a quick one-two but doesn’t follow up with his own offense. Usman eats a left jab and misses with an overhand. Du Plessis clubs him with a right hand and momentarily wobbles him. Usman is clearly struggling with the range as Du Plessis picks up the momentum.
Settling down, Usman finally finds a home for an overhand right but eats a jab as he backtracks. Both men are just trading leather in the center. Du Plessis connects with an uppercut as he continues to find his rhythm. Usman finally clinches up and shoves Du Plessis into the fence. An accidental low blow forces the ref to separate them, and Du Plessis responds with another left high kick. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Du Plessis.
Round 2
Usman comes out with an overhand right but only connects with air. Du Plessis connects with two left high kicks and wobbles Usman with a standing knee. The crowd starts chanting ‘DDP’ as Du Plessis continues to put it on visibly hurt Usman.
Usman eats another knee and shoots for a takedown. Du Plessis defends, scrambles to his feet, and separates. Every time Usman attacks, Du Plessis counters with a flurry and a knee to the jaw. It’s honestly amazing that Usman’s chin has held up as he continues to take a beating. After a wild flurry, Usman complains of an eyepoke, but the replay clearly shows it was a clean right hook, and the referee forces them back into action. Du Plessis smells blood as he cuts open Usman’s eye.
The power difference has never been more evident as Du Plessis plants yet another knee to the jaw with 60 seconds left. Du Plessis lands another right hand as the round. comes to an end. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Du Plessis.
Round 3
Du Plessis opens with a kick to the body. Usman responds with a stabbing kick up the middle, followed by a clean left to the jaw. Usman is clearly relying on his straight kick, but Du Plessis sees it coming as he evades. Usman lunges and eats another knee up the middle. Both men exchange kicks and body attacks, but Du Plessis finds a home for his left question mark kick.
Usman starts to settle down as he peppers the straight kick up the middle before feinting a takedown. Du Plessis is now finding a home for the body kick, but Usman throws off the attack with a quick level change. Du Plessis switches to orthodox and lands a picture-perfect one-two and narrowly misses with another standing knee.
Usman snatches a leg and finally secures the takedown. Too bad Du Plessis pops right back up and delivers that standing knee. With 30 seconds left, Usman has clearly fought his way back into the round as his kick up the middle finds its way through. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Du Plessis.
Round 4
It’s the championship round, and Usman is ready for more as he marches to the center. With his confidence high, Usman looks to take control early, but Du Plessis evades everything. Usman finally takes control of the center as he begins throwing with bad intentions, refusing to let Du Plessis fight at his pace. Usman continues to land his push kick, but Du Plessis wobbles him with another left high kick.
Du Plessis snaps Usman’s head back with a combo before throwing and landing another left high kick. Usman laughs it off, but eats a massive right from Du Plessis. Usman looks to avoid damage with an ill-timed takedown.
It’s starting to look more and more like the opening two rounds as Du Plessis bullies Usman around the octagon. Usman won’t get quiet into the night but misses widely with a combination. With 60 seconds left, Usman’s head snaps back from a combination. Usman lands a beauty of a combination. Du Plessis doesn’t relent as he closes the round out with another left high kick. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Du Plessis.
Round 5
With the crowd on their feet, both men touch gloves for the final round. Du Plessis misses with a flying knee, and Usman responds with a quick combination and level change. Usman evades a series of kicks and fakes another takedown. Du Plessis whips in a left jab as Usman circles away. With his offense almost gone, Usman snaps out of it and looks for a combination of his own.
Du Plessis accidentally lands a kick to the groin, forcing the referee to pause the action.
Usman doesn’t take the full time to recover, jumps right back into the fire, and immediately eats a barrage of right head kicks. With his opponent reeling, Du Plessis swarms for the kill. Somehow, Usman survives and marches Du Plessis back to the center.
In a shock turn of events, Du Plessis shoots for the takedown. Usman defends, lands his own knee, and shoves Du Plessis away. With new life under him, Usman pushes forward as Du Plessis backs towards the fence. Circling away, Du Plessis eats a swarm of punches. Breathing heavily, Du Plessis eats wild right hand as Usman refuses to relent.
As the clock hits 15 seconds, Usman blocks a kick and rushes forward. Du Plessis runs away as he covers up against the fence as the clock hits zero. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Usman.
Official Decision
Dricus du Plessis defeats Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
Post Fight
Usman
