Opinion: High Stakes in OKC: Du Plessis and Usman Gamble for a Shot at Strickland
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Two former champions enter a dangerous game of chicken in Oklahoma City, where a victory could fast-track a title bout against Sean Strickland.
The UFC returns to the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City this Saturday for the first time since June 2017, and the main event is a high-stakes gamble that could redefine the middleweight landscape. In my view, Dricus Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman are playing a dangerous game of chicken with the UFC brass; this clash is where the pretender gets exposed and the legitimate contender is crowned.
According to Sportsnet, the headliner features former middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis facing off against former welterweight kingpin Kamaru Usman. Both men are jockeying for a potential title shot against current middleweight champion Sean Strickland. The stakes are amplified by the fact that both fighters hold previous victories over Strickland—Du Plessis has two decision wins, while Usman defeated him back in 2017 when they were both welterweights.
Du Plessis, the 32-year-old South African and current No. 2-ranked middleweight, enters the bout looking to rebound from a lopsided unanimous decision loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 last August. While he has been away from the octagon for nearly a year, Sportsnet notes he remains a betting favorite due to his durability and status as a middleweight stalwart.
Usman, 39, is attempting a late-career surge in the 185-pound division. After a three-fight skid, the Nigerian fighter most recently secured a unanimous decision victory over Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta last June. Sportsnet reports that if Usman can pull off a major upset over Du Plessis, he could potentially jump the line for a title shot against Strickland.
Beyond the main event, Sportsnet highlights several other critical matchups on the 12-fight card:
* **Middleweight Co-Main Event:** 42-year-old Jared Cannonier, who won Comeback of the Year at the 17th Annual World MMA Awards after knocking out Gregory Rodrigues, faces 30-year-old Christian Leroy Duncan. Duncan enters the fight on a four-fight winning streak. * **Women's Strawweight:** No. 14-ranked Fatima Kline, 26, faces No. 7-ranked Tabatha Ricci, 31. Ricci stepped in on short notice to replace the injured Amanda Ribas. * **Welterweight Clash:** Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani, 27, faces 32-year-old Seokhyeon Ko. Sportsnet notes this matchup was created because both fighters recently secured victories over a common opponent, Phil Rowe.