UFC Oklahoma City Recap: Dricus Du Plessis Dominates Kamaru Usman in Triumphant Return
By Real Combat Media MMA Editorial Staff
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, (July 18th, 2026)–The Octagon touched down in Oklahoma City for the first time in nearly a decade on Saturday, and Dricus Du Plessis made sure the milestone card ended with him back in the win column. The former middleweight champion battered Kamaru Usman across five rounds at Paycom Center, while Christian Leroy Duncan scored the biggest win of his career in the co-main event. Preacher’s staff has the full breakdown below.
Main Event: Du Plessis Returns to Form
Dricus Du Plessis put together a hasty return to the win column, taking a lopsided unanimous decision over former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman to headline UFC’s return to Oklahoma City. The South African’s physicality and power were too much for Usman across the full 25 minutes, as Du Plessis wobbled him repeatedly in the first two rounds with clubbing strikes and well-timed knees up the middle.
Usman weathered the early storm and warmed into the fight, but Du Plessis stayed on him, hurting him again in the fourth round and maintaining control through the final horn. After losing the title to Khamzat Chimaev last August, this was exactly the response he needed. A potential trilogy with current champion Sean Strickland, whom he has already beaten twice, looks like the logical next step.
Co-Main Event: Duncan’s Breakout Win
Christian Leroy Duncan collected the biggest win of his career, out-working longtime contender Jared Cannonier to extend his winning streak to five straight. The Gloucester product was the quicker, more effective striker for much of the first two rounds, using a diverse arsenal to hurt Cannonier on multiple occasions. Cannonier had his moments and never stopped firing back, but there was too much steady offense from Duncan to overcome. After an uneven start to his UFC tenure, the Brit has found his rhythm and should get a ranked opponent next time out.
Rest of the Main Card
Chase Hooper got back to his grappling roots, quickly taking down Mitch Ramirez and locking up a rear-naked choke to snap a two-fight skid. Fatima Kline turned in a dominant, wire-to-wire performance against Tabatha Ricci, sweeping the scorecards to move to 4-0 since dropping back to strawweight. Tommy McMillen and Alberto Montes opened the main card with a firefight, and McMillen’s constant pressure and output eventually broke Montes down for a third-round stoppage.
Prelim Standouts
Ezra Elliott made the most of a short-notice call-up, taking a decision over Damien Anderson to move to 8-0 and setting a UFC featherweight record for takedowns along the way, missing weight was the only blemish on the night. Felipe Franco produced the finish of the card, stopping previously unbeaten Levi Rodrigues Jr. with punches and elbows in the second round. Alden Coria stayed unbeaten in the UFC with a third straight win over Stewart Nicoll, and Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani outlasted Seokhyeon Ko in a back-and-forth welterweight scrap.
Full Card Results
Main Card
Middleweight: Dricus Du Plessis def. Kamaru Usman by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan def. Jared Cannonier by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Lightweight: Chase Hooper def. Mitch Ramirez by Submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 2:15
Women’s Strawweight: Fatima Kline def. Tabatha Ricci by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Featherweight: Tommy McMillen def. Alberto Montes by TKO (strikes), Round 3, 3:29
Preliminary Card
Heavyweight: RJ Harris def. Alvin Hines by TKO (strikes), Round 1, 1:40
Women’s Flyweight: Dione Barbosa def. Anna Melisano by Submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 4:04
Featherweight: Jose Miguel Delgado def. Austin Bashi by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Welterweight: Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani def. Seokhyeon Ko by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Light Heavyweight: Felipe Franco def. Levi Rodrigues Jr. by TKO (punches and elbows), Round 2, 1:40
Flyweight: Alden Coria def. Stewart Nicoll by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Featherweight: Ezra Elliott def. Damien Anderson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Watch
UFC Oklahoma City: Post-Fight Press Conference
UFC Oklahoma City: Du Plessis vs. Usman Video Highlights
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