Nigeria’s former UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, is set to return to the Octagon on July 18 for a high-profile middleweight clash against South Africa’s Dricus Du Plessis at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
The bout is expected to be one of the most significant all-African contests in UFC history, as Usman moves up to the middleweight division to take on the former champion.
Usman, known as “The Nigerian Nightmare,” will be making his first appearance in more than a year. The 38-year-old last fought in 2025, securing a unanimous decision victory over Joaquim Buckley.
The former welterweight champion is no stranger to the middleweight division, having made his debut at 185 pounds in October 2023, when he suffered a majority decision loss to Khamzat Chimaev.
For Du Plessis, the fight presents an opportunity to bounce back after losing the UFC middleweight title to Chimaev in August 2025. The South African previously defeated former Nigerian middleweight champion Israel Adesanya via fourth-round submission in 2024.
That result adds extra motivation for Usman, who will be aiming not only to establish himself in the middleweight ranks but also to avenge a defeat suffered by his compatriot.
Despite Du Plessis holding the age advantage and having more recent experience at middleweight, Usman’s elite wrestling, championship pedigree and proven ability to perform on the biggest stages make him a formidable opponent.
Questions remain over potential ring rust following his lengthy absence, but the Nigerian veteran is expected to enter the contest highly motivated.
With his career entering its latter stages, the showdown against Du Plessis could prove to be a defining moment for Usman, either strengthening his legacy as one of Africa’s greatest mixed martial artists or signalling the beginning of the end of an illustrious career.
