Usman Faces Du Plessis at 185 Pounds as Fans Flag 'Ridiculous' Size Gap

Q: Will Dricus Du Plessis's power be too much, or will the legendary wrestler Kamaru Usman expose him on the ground?

Du Plessis’s power and size look like the more likely deciding factors, but Usman’s wrestling gives him a real path if he can turn this into a control-heavy fight early. The concern around Usman is understandable. He is moving up again to face a natural middleweight who is 23-3, ranked No. 2 at 185 pounds, and has 20 stoppages in 23 wins. Du Plessis is also coming in fresher at this weight, while Usman is 39, has fought only twice in 33 months, and continues to deal with questions about his knees. Social media’s focus on the size gap may be exaggerated, but it reflects a real tactical issue: Du Plessis is the bigger, more proven finisher at middleweight. Usman’s best chance is to make this ugly and disciplined. His credentials are elite: an NCAA Division II wrestling champion with a 2.79 takedown average and 90% takedown defense. He also showed in the past that he can win long fights through pressure, clinch work and top control. If he can repeatedly force Du Plessis to defend takedowns, slow the pace and avoid extended striking exchanges, he can absolutely expose openings on the ground. Still, the safer read is Du Plessis. He is the younger man, the natural 185er, and the betting favorite at -230 for good reason. Unless Usman can consistently impose his wrestling from the start, Du Plessis’s physicality, pressure and finishing threat are likely to be too much over five rounds.

3 articles · Updated · MMA Mania · Jul 16

Social media reaction spiked after Kamaru Usman and Dricus Du Plessis faced off ahead of Saturday's UFC Oklahoma main event, with many fans fixating on an apparent size mismatch.
The concern centers on Usman moving up against a natural middleweight: the former welterweight champion meets Du Plessis in a 185-pound bout at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
Du Plessis enters at 23-3 and is a -230 betting favorite after last fighting in his 185-pound title loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 last summer.
Usman, 21-4, is trying to build on his June 2025 win over Joaquin Buckley and said doubts about his injuries and durability still give him extra motivation.