MSB Fight Club: Dricus du Plessis Outclasses Kamaru Usman in UFC Oklahoma City Main Event
The UFC made its return to Oklahoma City on Saturday night with a card that featured former champions, rising contenders, and several fighters looking to take the next step in their careers. By the end of the evening, it was former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis who delivered the biggest statement, defeating former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision in a five-round main event that showcased his striking, pressure, and championship-level conditioning.
The event also featured impressive performances from Christian Leroy Duncan, Chase Hooper, Fatima Kline, Tommy McMillen, and several other fighters who helped make the card one of the more entertaining UFC Fight Nights of the year. While there were not many championship implications across the entire event, several divisions saw contenders strengthen their cases for bigger opportunities.
Main Event
Dricus du Plessis def. Kamaru Usman
Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
The headline bout paired two former UFC champions from different weight classes. Du Plessis entered the contest looking to reestablish himself as the leading contender in the middleweight division, while Usman hoped to prove he could still compete against elite fighters after moving up from welterweight.
From the opening round, du Plessis controlled the pace with constant forward pressure. He mixed together powerful jabs, straight rights, leg kicks, and body work that prevented Usman from establishing his wrestling or boxing rhythm. Every time Usman attempted to close the distance, du Plessis answered with combinations before circling away.
The second round continued in much the same fashion. Du Plessis landed several clean right hands while using excellent footwork to keep the former champion guessing. Usman found success late in the round with a few combinations, but he struggled to string together sustained offense.
Rounds three and four belonged almost entirely to du Plessis. He repeatedly backed Usman toward the fence, landed damaging knees from the clinch, and mixed in heavy body shots that visibly slowed his opponent. His cardio remained outstanding through 20 minutes, allowing him to keep a relentless pace.
Usman showed the heart that made him one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history during the fifth round. He secured takedowns, landed several clean punches, and attempted to finish the fight strong. Although the final round was competitive, the earlier rounds had already created too much separation.
The judges awarded du Plessis the unanimous decision, moving him back into the middleweight title picture. The performance demonstrated that his pressure-heavy style remains one of the most difficult challenges in the division.
Co-Main Event
Christian Leroy Duncan def. Jared Cannonier
Unanimous Decision
Christian Leroy Duncan continued his impressive rise through the middleweight rankings by defeating longtime contender Jared Cannonier.
Cannonier entered the fight hoping his experience and knockout power would derail one of the UFC’s fastest-rising prospects. Instead, Duncan delivered perhaps the most complete performance of his UFC career.
Using superior movement and range management, Duncan consistently beat Cannonier to the punch throughout all three rounds. He mixed kicks to the legs and body with quick boxing combinations before moving out of danger.
Cannonier had moments where he landed heavy shots, but Duncan refused to stand still long enough for the veteran to build momentum. His defensive awareness frustrated Cannonier for much of the fight.
The victory extends Duncan’s winning streak and puts him much closer to facing ranked middleweight contenders.
Chase Hooper def. Mitch Ramirez
First-Round Submission
Chase Hooper once again reminded fans why he remains one of the UFC’s most dangerous submission specialists.
After using crisp striking to set up his grappling entries, Hooper secured a takedown midway through the opening round. From there, he quickly advanced position before locking in a submission that forced Ramirez to tap.
Hooper’s improved stand-up game has become increasingly noticeable over the last several fights. Rather than relying solely on grappling, he has developed enough striking to create opportunities for his world-class ground game.
The win keeps the young lightweight moving toward the rankings.
Fatima Kline def. Tabatha Ricci
Unanimous Decision
One of the night’s most technically impressive performances belonged to Fatima Kline.
Facing a veteran in Tabatha Ricci, Kline controlled the fight with speed, movement, and accurate combinations. She effectively defended takedown attempts while landing consistently from the outside.
Ricci attempted to pressure forward throughout the contest, but Kline repeatedly countered with clean punches and kicks before circling away.
The judges rewarded Kline’s activity and accuracy with a unanimous decision victory.
With each performance, Kline continues to establish herself as one of the brightest young prospects in the UFC’s women’s divisions.
Tommy McMillen def. Alberto Montes
Knockout
The highlight-reel finish of the evening came courtesy of Tommy McMillen.
Early in the fight, McMillen remained patient while measuring distance. Once Montes became more aggressive, McMillen timed a perfectly placed counter strike that ended the contest instantly.
The knockout brought the Oklahoma City crowd to its feet and earned McMillen one of the UFC’s Performance of the Night bonuses.
The victory also represents the biggest win of his UFC career and should lead to tougher competition moving forward.
Other Notable Results
Several additional fighters made the most of their opportunities throughout the preliminary card.
Felipe Franco earned a Performance of the Night bonus after an explosive finish that showcased his striking power.
RJ Harris picked up an impressive victory with aggressive offense from the opening bell.
Dione Barbosa also delivered an outstanding performance, earning a finish that demonstrated why she remains one of the division’s emerging talents.
The preliminary bouts featured multiple finishes, competitive decisions, and several entertaining exchanges that kept the crowd engaged from start to finish.
Performance Bonuses
The UFC recognized several standout performances following the event.
Fight of the Night
- Dricus du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman
Performance of the Night
- Tommy McMillen
- Felipe Franco
- RJ Harris
- Dione Barbosa
What the Results Mean
Du Plessis appears to have firmly reentered the championship conversation at middleweight. His combination of pressure, durability, conditioning, and improving striking makes him a difficult matchup for anyone in the division.
For Usman, the defeat will likely raise questions about his future. Although his toughness and championship experience remain evident, the former welterweight king now faces a difficult path back toward another title opportunity.
Christian Leroy Duncan’s victory may have been the second most significant result of the evening. By defeating an established veteran like Cannonier, Duncan positioned himself for a matchup against one of the division’s top-ranked contenders.
Meanwhile, Chase Hooper and Fatima Kline continued proving they belong among the UFC’s brightest young talents, while Tommy McMillen created one of the most memorable moments of the night with his devastating knockout.
MSB Fight Club Take
This card may not have featured a championship fight, but it delivered exactly what fans want from a UFC Fight Night—competitive matchups, rising stars, highlight-reel finishes, and a main event with meaningful title implications.
Du Plessis looked every bit like a future title challenger. His striking has become more polished, his pace remains relentless, and his confidence continues to grow against elite competition. If this version of du Plessis steps into another championship fight, he will have an excellent chance to reclaim UFC gold.
Several young fighters also made significant statements. Christian Leroy Duncan, Chase Hooper, Fatima Kline, and Tommy McMillen all left Oklahoma City with additional momentum and could become major names to watch over the next year.
For UFC fans, Oklahoma City delivered an entertaining night from the opening preliminaries through the final horn. The card produced memorable finishes, quality technical performances, and a main event that reshaped the middleweight title picture while providing plenty of storylines heading into the UFC’s next major event.
