15-07-26
Dricus Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman came face to face for the first time ahead of their UFC Fight Night 281 headliner, setting the stage for a five-round middleweight main event.
The bout tops Saturday’s card at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., and marks a key clash at 185 pounds between two former UFC champions.
Du Plessis enters the matchup with a 23-3 MMA record, including 9-1 in the UFC. The former 185-pound champion is returning for the first time since his UFC 319 title loss to Khamzat Chimaev in August.
Usman, a former longtime welterweight champion, holds a 21-4 MMA record with a 16-3 mark in the UFC. He is coming back from a one-year layoff and is moving up to middleweight for the second time in his career.
