The UFC ventured to Oklahoma City on Saturday for just the third time in the promotion’s history for an exiting card of 12 fights. The UFC Oklahoma City card was headlined by a pair of former UFC champions in former 170lb king Kamaru Usman and former 185lb champ Dricus Du Plessis. In the co-main event another ranked middleweight matchup, in the UFC veteran Jared Cannonier versus the former basketball player in Christian Leroy Duncan. The main event ended up winning fight of the night, and an unlikely record was also broken on the main card.
Kamaru Usman
(#2) Dricus Du Plessis accomplished his goal in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City, making a huge statement against (#10 WW) Kamaru Usman with his five-round beatdown of the new middleweight. Kamaru Usman now falls to 16-4 with the UFC with all of his losses coming in his last five bouts. Usman’s only win during that time period was a June 2025 unanimous decision opposite of Jaoquin Buckley. This was Kamaru’s second UFC fight a middleweight (the first being Khamzat in 2023) and the former champ stated he wasn’t sure if he’d stay or go back down for his next fight. At 39 years old he’s got some big decisions to make.
The fight that makes the most sense for Kamaru here is staying at middleweight and fighting the loser of Anthony Hernandez vs. Gregory Rodrigues. That fight goes down on August 22 so the timing would be great for Usman. Rodrigues, who is 10-3 with the promotion is riding a three-fight win streak defeating Jack Hermansson, Roman Kopylov, and most recently, Brunno Ferreira. Anthony Hernandez is 9-3 with the promotion and coming off of a loss to the former middleweight champion, Sean Strickland, back in February. Whoever loses that fight should take on Usman. Backup could be a fighter like Jared Cannonier as the timing would work great.
Should Usman go down to welterweight, he should take on a fighter like Belal Muhammad. Belal is a former welterweight champion like Usman. Belal also just turned 38 years old. That’s a fight that could make a lot of sense as Muhammad is riding a three-fight losing streak stemming from losing his belt to Jack Della Maddalena in 2025. He’s since lost to Ian Machado Garry and Gabriel Bonfim, last month. Two aging, awkward-striking wrestlers that are former champs. It’d make a good scrap if the two are ready to fight at around the same time. Easy Fight Night main event too.
Usman’s next fight if 170lbs.: (#7) Belal Muhammad or (#4) Jack Della Madadalena
Usman’s next fight if 185lbs.: Loser of (#7) Anthony Hernandez vs. (#9) Gregory Rodrigues
Jared Cannonier
(#12) Christian Leroy Duncan took the next step in his career as he cruised to a unanimous decision victory over (#11) Jared Cannonier in the co main event on Saturday. Jared has now lost four of his last five bouts dating back to June of 2024. Cannonier’s sole victory over the stretch came in February of 2025 when he starched Gregory Rodrigues in the fourth. His other losses came against Nassourdine Imavov, Caio Borralho, and Michael Page. Jared is one loss away from a .500 record as he’s 11-10 with the promotion since being signed in 2015.
Jared’s next fight should be against the loser of Roman Dolidze vs. Reiner de Ridder. That fight is scheduled for August 22, so the timing would be a little skewed. But Cannonier is 42, so nothing wrong with a little more time to recover. Dolidze is 9-5 with the promotion and has lost two straight. Including in his most recent fight, a unanimous decision to CLD back in March. Dolidze also had a cancelled bout against Cannonier in 2023. RDR is 4-2 with the UFC and also on a two-fight skid. His last fight was a unanimous decision loss to Caio Borralho in March. Whoever loses this fight would be a perfect matchup for Cannonier while the other will likely a way higher matchup in the rankings.
Worst comes to worst here and Cannonier could take on Kamaru Usman. Around the same age range, timing would work, and similar performances on Saturday. Both men have also been in multiple weight classes and would offer solid opponents for each other.
Cannonier’s next fight: Loser of Roman Dolidze vs. Reiner De Ridder or Kamaru Usman
Mitch Ramirez
Chase Hooper made quick work of Mitch Ramirez on Saturday as he easily submitted his opponent with a rear naked choke in the first round. Ramirez is a 2023 Contender Series competitor that had the misfortunate of facing one Carlos Prates. After another win outside the UFC (LFA) Ramirez got an opportunity with the promotional giant. Mitch is now 0-3 with the UFC and has been finished in every appearance.
Seems pretty likely that Mitch could get the boot here, seeing the outcome on Saturday. Ramirez also appeared to have injured his knee during the performance and turns 34 later this year. If he stays on the roster a good fight would be against the loser of Milos Janici vs. Noah Gugnon. That fight is going down on August 1 so as long as Ramirez didn’t come away with a bad injury (somewhat unlikely) he’d be good to go for this fight. Milos has one loss in the widely known KSW promotion and has a lot of finishes on his record. Noah is a one-loss veteran of the Bellator promotion and also has a lot of finishes to his credit. Both are hungry, dangerous fighters in their 20s that would pair up well for a quick elimination fight against Mitch.
Ramirez’s next fight: Milos Janicic vs. Noah Gugnon loser or Cut
Tabatha Ricci
26-year-old (#14) Fatima Kline looked like she was ready for the elites of the strawweight division with her unanimous decision victory over (#7) Tabatha Ricci on Saturday. Ricci now falls to 7-5 with the UFC and has lost three of her last four since November of 2024. Ricci’s only win during the time period came in July of 2025 opposite of Amanda Ribas. Amanda was actually Fatima’s original opponent for Saturday but withdrew from the bout with Tabatha stepping up to replace her. Ricci has faced great competition losing to a pair of title challengers in Yan Xiaonan and Virna Jandiroba.
With all this in mind, Tabatha’s next fight is going to have to be strategic, and she’ll need to make a statement. The perfect next opponent for Ricci is (#15) Talita Alencar. Alencar is 4-1 in the UFC after being signed to the promotion off of the Contender Series in 2023. Her only loss in the UFC came to Sephanie Luciano in August of 2024. Talita is riding a 3-fight win streak having defeated Vaness Demopoulos, Ariane Carnelossi and most recently, Julia Polastri. Talita is coming off a win, but there is a small chance for the matchup. Ricci did step up for Ribas, after all. Backup option here would be a fight against Denise Gomes. But only if Gomes is beaten badly or finished in her scheduled upcoming fight against Yan Xiaonan. That fight is on August 29th so the timing wouldn’t be too far off, either.
Ricci’s next fight: (#15) Talita Alencar or (#8) Denise Gomes if she loses badly to (#5) Yan Xiaonan
Alberto Montes
Tommy McMillen broke the featherweight record for strikes landed in a three-round fight on his way to a third-round TKO over Alberto Montes to kick of the main card of UFC Oklahoma City. This fight had a lot of buildup to it so rough loss for Alberto who is now 1-1 with the promotion. Montes was signed off the 2024 season of the Contender Series and announced his arrival in the promotion with a bonus winning finish over Ricky Turcios in March.
Alberto should look no further than the fight just before his own at UFC Oklahoma City for his next opponent. Montes should fight Austin Bashi next. Bashi fought and loss of the feature prelim on Saturday losing a unanimous decision against Jose Delgado. Austin is also a 2024 Contender Series veteran and is 1-2 with the promotion. Bashi made his UFC debut against Christian Rodriguez last January, losing a decision. His lone win with the UFC came last August when he submitted John Yannis midway through the first round. Easy matchup here that really has the potential to be an under the radar scrap.
Montes’s next fight: Austin Bashi
