Former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis says his return to the Octagon is already locked in on his side, revealing he has signed a contract for his next fight and is now waiting on his opponent.
Du Plessis recently posted on Instagram that he has agreed to his next bout and is awaiting the other signature. Recent rumors have linked him to a 185-pound clash with Kamaru Usman that could headline a UFC event in Oklahoma City on July 18, but that matchup has not been officially announced.
Speaking about the holdup, du Plessis wrote, "a little someone agreed to a fight but actually signing the dotted line isn’t that easy when you know you’re just signing for a show purse." He added, "the announcement is taking longer than expected but from my side it’s been signed and sealed for a while."
Du Plessis has not fought since losing his middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 this past August, his first defeat in the promotion after nine straight UFC wins that included two title fight victories over Sean Strickland and finishes of Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.
If the rumored bout is finalized, it would mark Usman’s second UFC appearance at 185 pounds. The former welterweight champion, who first claimed that title in 2019 and defended it five consecutive times, recently snapped a three-fight skid with a unanimous decision win over Joaquin Buckley in June 2025.
