It started out looking like it might be a one-sided beatdown, but Kamaru Usman refused to go away in his main event assignment against ex-middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis at Saturday’s UFC Oklahoma City.
A former welterweight champ, Usman was returning to 185lbs for the first time since losing to Khamzat Chimaev a few years back. And in the opening two rounds, he was rocked repeatedly, with seemingly everything Du Plessis threw doing damage.
Usman, however, was down but not out. Or more accurately, perhaps, he was too stubborn to quit, getting himself back in the fight in the third round. That and the final frame were a little closer, though he’d be rocked several more times. At 39, Kamaru Usman’s window in MMA is set to close any day now, but he proved he could go the distance with one of the best middleweights in the world on Saturday.
DDP took home the win after a strong performance that had him chasing the finish to the point of emptying the tank in the final round. He gets the victory, both men get $100,000 for their Fight of the Night showing.
Performance of the Night bonuses at UFC Oklahoma City went to Tommy McMillen and Felipe Franco. Both picked up TKO finishes in their respective fights.
All other finishers on the card pick up an extra $25,000 for their stoppage wins. Those would be Dione Barbosa and RJ Harris (Chase Hooper also secured a finish, but missed weight).
