Kamaru Usman eyes UFC gold once more ahead of Dricus Du Plessis showdown

Almost four years after losing the welterweight championship he held for more than three years, Kamaru Usman believes he still has enough left in him to become a two-division UFC champion.Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night main event at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on July 19 against former middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis is the next step in that effort, and according to Usman, a win should be one fight away from another shot at UFC gold. For the 39-year-old, that ambition has changed the way he views his career. “Yes, every match from now on has to be meaningful because I’m not here just to be a part of it anymore. I’m here to achieve something before I finally retire from this sport.”“It’s a huge fight. He’s a former champion in this division, which is still a new division for me. Anytime you get to fight on that scale against a guy ranked No. 2 in the world, it’s important. Once I go out there and get that win, what’s next besides the title? So it’s big and I’m excited about it,” Usman said. com.

The pursuit of another championship also explains why Usman has fought sparingly in recent years.His dominant reign at welterweight came to a dramatic end in August 2022 when Leon Edwards landed a fifth-round headbutt to win the title. Seven months later, Edwards won a closely fought rematch by majority decision.Usman then stepped in with less than two weeks notice to face Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294, moving up to middleweight and losing a competitive majority decision. He was sidelined for nearly 20 months before returning in June 2025 with an impressive five-round victory over Joaquin Buckley, a performance that revived his hopes of another title shot.While many saw the layoff as idleness, Usman says there was more to it than simply waiting for the next fight.“Obviously, the biggest indicator is activity. Unfortunately, I’m at a stage in my career where I’d like to be more active, but it has to make sense – not only for me, but also for the opponent, and most of all, it has to make sense for the company. Unfortunately, it wasn’t always that way, and that’s why people didn’t see me compete that often. But I didn’t have the opportunity.”The time away from the Octagon, he says, has also changed the way he approaches fighting.“I’d say it’s learning how to build combat. When you’re young in the game, you’re just there and it’s a chaotic experience. But as time goes on, you learn to settle into combat a lot earlier and understand what’s going on. I’d say that’s probably been my biggest improvement.”Although his first appearance at middleweight came on short notice against Chimaev, Usman believes this camp has allowed him to better apply those lessons.“Well, this was a short time too. It was announced not long ago.“But I feel good. Being able to prepare is always a great thing. Like I said, the biggest lesson I’ve taken from this time away is how to build a fight. Hopefully we can go out there and show it on Saturday night.”

Standing opposite him is a completely different challenge.Du Plessis built his middleweight rise on relentless pressure, constant forward movement and physicality. The South African has described himself as the most physically dominant fighter in the division, and after last year’s loss to Chimaev, he continued to push forward despite being repeatedly knocked down and checked by one of the UFC’s elite fighters.That night, the bout proved decisive, an area Du Plessis admitted he had been working on as he heads into his next meeting with the decorated grappler.Usman, whose NCAA Division II wrestling credentials laid the foundation for one of the most dominant welterweight title runs in UFC history, believes the contest will be about much more than physical strength.“No, he’s big and he’s physical. That’s one of the greatest things about him. What really sets him apart is his toughness, determination and willingness to keep fighting and pushing.” “But that was never an area where I struggled. There was never a time when I didn’t push forward or fight hard. That’s also one of my strengths.”“I think it will depend on who takes tactical control of the fight and is able to maintain it,” Usman said.Asked if Chimaev’s win revealed a plan to beat Du Plessis, Usman acknowledged there were areas he could exploit but insisted he would rely on his own strength rather than copy someone else’s approach.“Well, he’s tough. But of course everyone watched his last match and saw that there was an area that Khamzat took full advantage of.”“I excel in that area as well, but I’m not going into this fight saying yes, that’s exactly what I have to do.” I just have to go out there and fight.“I think one of the things I do better than anybody is my ability to mix everything together. As long as I go out there and do my thing and mix it up, I think it’s going to be a great night.”Usman was already thinking about Saturday. If he gets past Du Plessis, he wants a title shot against Sean Strickland.“I hope so, Sean Strickland. I mean, what’s next? You beat the No. 2 guy, the former champion — why not fight the champion?”“He and I have shared the cage before. I think that’s the biggest fight in the division. With all due respect to the other guys at the top, I believe me against the champion is the biggest fight the division can have.”The two previously met in 2017 when they both competed at welterweight, with Usman earning a unanimous decision victory. Their careers have since followed very different paths. Usman became one of the most dominant welterweight champions in UFC history, defending the title five times before losing it to Edwards.Strickland found success at middleweight, winning the UFC title and establishing himself as one of the division’s top contenders. Now comes the second meeting with championship stakes attached.Aside from the technical aspects of fighting, Usman says one of the defining characteristics of his career has been his unwillingness to pretend to be something he’s not.“I’m very rational and very honest with myself. If I’m not good at something, I’m not one of those guys who’s going to come out and lie to the public and say, ‘Oh yeah, I’m the best at this.’“People always say, ‘Fake it till you make it,’ but I’m not really one of those guys. If I’m not there yet, I’m not going to pretend I am. I’m going to go out there, put in the work, and then I’ll let you know what I’m capable of.”The same honesty applies to what goes through his mind before each fight.“It will always touch you because you have invested so much time and effort into your coaches, trainers, physical therapists, nutritionists and everyone else involved. You have also sacrificed time with your family.”“Obviously you want all these people to experience the reward for everything they put into helping you. You don’t want to lose and leave them feeling like all that work didn’t pay off.”“Absolutely, the minute you step into the cage, one of the biggest thoughts in your mind is, ‘I don’t want to lose this. I can’t lose this.’“I’ve dealt with it before. I’ve been there, done that and I have the experience. Now we’re just excited to get out there and perform again.”Whether that next title opportunity comes immediately or not will largely depend on the outcome of Saturday night. But for Usman, there is little confusion about why he is still fighting.As for how he hopes people will remember him when his career eventually ends, the answer has little to do with championship belts.“I hope the biggest thing people say is that I was a really first class individual – not just in the sport but outside of it.“That’s who I am. That’s how I was raised. That’s how I train and that’s how I conduct myself in every aspect of this game.”“I hope it comes out and I hope people recognize it and respect it.”Watch UFC Fight Night – Du Plessis vs Usman on 19 July 2026 from 5:30 AM IST Live on Sony Sports Ten 2 SD & HD and Sony LIV.