South African fighter held the middleweight belt ⁠from January 2024 until August 2025 when he lost to Chimaev.

Dricus Du Plessis ‌has leaned on his South African roots in his first fight in nearly a year ⁠to secure ⁠a victory by unanimous decision over Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman in the middleweight main event of UFC Fight Night in Oklahoma City.

The judges on Saturday ⁠scored the bout 50-45, 49-46, 49-46 in favour of Du Plessis (24-3 MMA), who won his first nine UFC bouts and held the middleweight belt ⁠from January 2024 until mid-August last year.

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Du Plessis hadn’t fought since that winning streak was snapped by Khamzat Chimaev, who remains champion.

“I had to get up,” the 32-year-old said. “There’s so many South African kids that look ‌up to me.

“It’s bigger than me. I can’t go lie down.”

Dricus Du Plessis, right, fights Kamaru Usman in his first fight in 11 months after losing his middleweight belt [Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images via Reuters]

In a fight contested upright with no successful takedowns or submission attempts, Du Plessis didn’t appear rusty whatsoever, finishing with a convincing 139-99 edge in total strikes and landing 136 significant strikes to Usman’s 92.

Usman (21-5) was the UFC welterweight champion from March 2019 to November 2021. ⁠However, the Nigerian, 39, has lost four of ⁠his last five fights and couldn’t add a second straight win in his first fight in 13 months this weekend.

In the middleweight co-main event, England’s Christian Leroy Duncan (15-2) defeated Jared Cannonier (18-10 MMA) ⁠via unanimous decision. The scorecards read 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 for Duncan.