Oklahoma City — During his reign as UFC middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis defended his title twice, against Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland.
It’s not lost on the South African that, as a rematch between current champ Sean Strickland and ex-champ Khamzat Chimaev looms, the division’s title picture has a meritocracy problem.
Ahead of UFC Oklahoma City, which he headlines opposite Kamaru Usman, Du Plessis (23-3) noted that “between the two of them, they have an amazing zero title defenses. How do you warrant a rematch? In that case, I have two, so give me a rematch then. I have two wins over the current champion. It makes zero sense.”
The UFC has not officially announced Strickland’s next booking. However, all signs point to it coming opposite Chimaev, who has forestalled a move to light heavyweight after Strickland upset him to reclaim the belt earlier this year.
While he’s campaigning for a title shot of his own, DDP doesn’t truly believe a win over Usman alone will earn him one. “I don’t believe a victory alone can be enough. I think my resume, definitely, but I don’t believe that just a victory over Usman necessarily gives me that title shot,” he told Cageside Press and other media outlets during Wednesday’s UFC Oklahoma City media day. “The same for him. But the performance, going out there and putting on a performance that eliminates any doubt that I’m the best in the world, that’s what’s going to guarantee me another shot at that title.”
“Stillknocks” wasn’t exactly expecting to be matched up with Kamaru Usman after losing his 185lb title to Chimaev just under a year ago. “I was surprised,” he said of the booking. “I knew he was kind of in limbo, after the losses of course and then the performance against Buckley. I was interested in what he was going to do; I knew he wasn’t going to go out after a performance against Buckley.”
“I think he was waiting for that welterweight shot, maybe fighting Islam, which is a great fight, but right now there’s just too many people in that 170 division with long active streaks that are putting their hands up.”
Usman confirmed, in his own media session on Wednesday, that he had been expecting the title shot at 170lbs next. Both he and champ Islam Makhachev were game for it; the UFC opted to go in a different direction. Yet when it comes to his opponent securing his legacy, Du Plessis sees the move up making sense for Kamaru Usman.
“For him, I said this, at 170 there’s nothing he can do that’s going to be better than what he’s already done. He doesn’t have the time. He’s defended that belt many times, the winning streak, that’s never going to be again. For him, the only way to do something great to add to his legacy is to get that double champ status. I was surprised but it made sense, and I was really excited to face a legend like Kamaru Usman.”
Watch the full UFC Oklahoma City media day appearance by Dricus Du Plessis above. The card takes place this Saturday, July 18, 2026 at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
