
Former
Ultimate Fighting Championship champion Dricus Du
Plessis returned to winning ways at
UFC Oklahoma City.
Nearly a year after losing his middleweight belt to Khamzat
Chimaev, du Plessis returned to action in a five-rounder
against former welterweight champ Kamaru
Usman, earning a lopsided unanimous decision win. The South
African’s return made him realize how much he loves and belongs in
the sport.
Advertisement
UFC champion Dricus Du Plessis explains his mindset after
beating Kamaru Usman
„Stillknocks“ was clearly on top in the opening two rounds, with
Usman finding his range in the third frame before du Plessis
regained his momentum in the fourth. Usman found a second wind in
the final round, but it was too little too late for „The Nigerian
Nightmare,” who was on the wrong end of a 50-45, 49-46, 49-46
scorecard.
Having spent 11 months on the sidelines coming off a loss, du
Plessis believes that one can forget what it’s like inside the
Octagon during a lengthy hiatus. However, as soon as the fight
commenced, he felt right at home.
“Especially when you are away for that kind of time, you almost
forget what it’s like to be there, dancing under the lights,” du
Plessis said after the fight. “But man, tonight I just walked out
there again and I realized… This is what I live with… This is what
this is about… This is why I started this game. I loved going out
there and fighting, but more than that, I loved competing.”
He further emphasized that the pressure he feels in front of
thousands of fans in attendance is exactly what gets the best out
of him.
“I just knew this is what I live for.”
Dricus Du
Plessis (@dricusduplessis)
was loving every moment of his main event win over Kamaru
Usman and is keen on getting a shot at regaining the
middleweight title. #UFCOKCComplete Main Card Results ➡️ https://t.co/dl1etdlxD2 pic.twitter.com/RAlxy8sRIs
— UFC News (@UFCNews)
July 19, 2026