Kamaru Usman eyes another run at UFC gold ahead of Dricus Du Plessis showdown | MMA news

Nearly four years after losing the welterweight championship he held for more than three years, Kamaru Usman believes he still has enough left to become a two-division UFC champion.Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night main event at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on July 19 against former middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis is the next step in that pursuit and, in Usman’s mind, a win should leave him one fight away from another shot at UFC gold. For the 39-year-old, that ambition changed his outlook on his career.“Yes, every fight from this point on has to be meaningful because I’m not just here to be a part of it. I’m here to do something before I move on from the game.“It’s a big fight. He used to be the champion in this division, which is still a new division for me. Anytime you can get a fight with that big fight against the No. 2-ranked guy in the world, it’s important. Once I go out there and get this win, what’s next besides the title? So it’s a big fight, and Usman told me he’s excited for it,” and Usman looking forward to it. com.

The pursuit of another championship also explains why Usman has fought so little in the last few years.His dominant welterweight reign ended dramatically in August 2022 when Leon Edwards landed a fifth-round head kick to claim the title. Seven months later, Edwards won a closely fought rematch by majority decision.Usman then stepped up on less than two weeks notice to face Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294, moving up to middleweight and losing a competitive majority decision. He stayed away from competition for nearly 20 months before returning in June 2025 with a commanding five-round victory over Joaquin Buckley, a performance that revived his hopes of another title shot.While many see the layoff as passive, Usman says there’s more to it than just waiting for another fight.“Of course, the activity is the biggest indicator of all. Unfortunately, I am at a stage in my career where I want to be more active, but it has to have meaning – not only for me, but the opponent has to have meaning, and, most importantly, it has meaning for the company. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen often, so people don’t see me compete often. But I’m just blessed to have the opportunity to come.“The time away from the Octagon, he said, has also changed the way he approaches fighting.“I would say it’s learning how to build a fight. When you’re young in the game, you’re just there and it’s a chaotic experience. But as time goes by, you learn how to settle a fight earlier and understand what’s going on. I would say that was probably my biggest improvement. “Although his first appearance at middleweight came on short notice against Chimaev, Usman believes this camp has allowed him to put those lessons to better use.“Well, it’s a short notice too. It was announced not too long ago.“But I feel good. Being able to prepare is always a good thing. Like I said, the biggest lesson I’ve learned this season is to fight. Hopefully we can go there and show that on Saturday night. “

Standing opposite him was a completely different challenge.Du Plessis built his rise through the middleweight division on relentless pressure, constant forward movement and physicality. The South African portrays himself as the most physically dominant fighter in the division, and even in a loss to Chimaev last year he continued to push despite being repeatedly taken down and controlled by one of the UFC’s elite wrestlers.Wrestling took a decisive turn that night, an area Du Plessis acknowledged he was working towards another meeting with a decorated grappler.Usman, whose NCAA Division II wrestling credentials laid the foundation for one of the most dominant welterweight title reigns in UFC history, believes the competition comes down to more than physical strength.“No, he’s big and he’s physical. That’s one of the biggest things about him. What makes him unique is his strength, his determination, and his willingness to keep fighting and keep pushing.

“But that’s never been an area where I’ve struggled. It’s never been a case of me not pushing forward or not fighting. That’s one of my strengths.“I think it will come down to who controls the tactical fight and is able to sustain it,” Usman said.Asked if Chimaev’s win revealed a blueprint to defeat Du Plessis, Usman acknowledged there are areas he can improve on, but insisted he will rely on his own strength rather than copy someone else’s approach.“Well, he’s tough. But of course, everyone watched his last fight and saw that there was one area that Khamzat took full advantage of.“I excelled in that area as well, but I’m not going into this fight thinking, ‘Yeah, I really need to do that.’ I just have to go out there and fight my fight.“I think one of the things I do better than anybody is my ability to mix it all up. As long as I go out there, do my thing, and mix it up, I think it’s going to be a good night.”Usman already thought it was past Saturday. If he gets past Du Plessis, he wants a title shot against Sean Strickland.“I hope so, Sean Strickland. I mean, what’s next? You beat the No. 2 guy, a former champion — why not fight the champion?“He and I have shared the cage before. I think that’s the biggest fight in the division. With all due respect to the other guys above, I think myself against the champion is the biggest fight the division can have.”The two met previously in 2017 when the two clashed at welterweight, with Usman earning a unanimous decision win. Their careers have since taken very different paths. Usman became one of the most dominant champions in UFC welterweight history, defending the title five times before losing it to Edwards.Strickland achieved success at middleweight, capturing the UFC title and establishing himself among the top contenders in the division. The second meeting comes today with championship stakes attached.Away from the technical aspect of fighting, Usman says one of the defining characteristics of his career is an unwillingness to pretend he’s something he’s not.“I’m very reasonable and very honest with myself. If I’m not good at something, I’m not one of those guys who comes out and lies to the public by saying, ‘Oh yeah, I’m the best at it.’“People always say, ‘Fake it till you make it,’ but I’m never one of those guys. If I wasn’t there, I wouldn’t pretend to be.The same honesty extends to what goes through his mind before each fight.“It always affects you because you invest so much time and effort with your coaches, trainers, physical therapists, nutritionists, and others involved. You also sacrifice time with your family.“Of course, you want all people to experience the reward of everything they give to help you.“Honestly, the moment you step into the cage, one of the biggest thoughts in your mind is, ‘I don’t want to lose this. I can’t lose this.’“I’ve dealt with that before. I’ve been there, I’ve done that, and I have experience. Now we’re excited to get out there and perform again.”Whether the next title opportunity comes soon or not will depend on Saturday night’s result. But for Usman, there is little ambiguity as to why he is still fighting.As for how he hopes people will remember him when his career is over, the answer has nothing to do with championship belts.“I hope the biggest thing people say is that I’m a really high-class individual – not only in the game, but outside of it as well.“That’s who I am. That’s how I was raised. That’s how I trained, and that’s how I conduct myself in every aspect of this game.“I hope that comes, and I hope people recognize it and respect it.”