Usman Brings 97.3% Takedown Defense Into UFC Fight Night 281 vs Du Plessis

Q: Will Kamaru Usman's bold move to middleweight at 39 lead to another title or signal the end of an era?

Usman’s move looks more like a last real title push than a farewell tour, but the Du Plessis fight will likely decide which it becomes. There is a credible case for another run. Usman remains one of the most accomplished champions of his era, and his short-notice middleweight showing against Khamzat Chimaev suggested he can compete with elite 185-pounders. He also comes in with less strain from weight cutting, something that matters at 39, and his wrestling remains the clearest tactical threat against Du Plessis, who was beaten by Chimaev’s grappling. A win over the former champion, currently ranked near the top of the division, would put Usman directly into the title conversation against Sean Strickland, a man he has beaten before. But the risks are just as clear. Usman is 39, returning from a long layoff, and entering a division where he may be undersized against natural middleweights. Du Plessis is younger, bigger, and still near his physical peak despite losing the belt to Chimaev. Betting markets favor Du Plessis, reflecting the view that Usman’s margin for error is now very small. So the most likely answer is this: if Usman beats Du Plessis, the middleweight move will be validated immediately and another title shot becomes realistic. If he loses clearly, especially if he cannot impose his wrestling or handle the size, it will be hard to argue this is anything other than the closing chapter of an exceptional career.

3 articles · Updated · MMA Junkie · Jul 16

Saturday’s Oklahoma City main event pits former middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis against ex-welterweight king Kamaru Usman, who is making his second UFC appearance at 185 pounds after losing his first.
97.3% is Usman’s takedown-defense rate in UFC welterweight competition—the best in divisional history—making Du Plessis’ ability to keep the fight standing a central matchup question.
Du Plessis enters at 23-3 with 20 stoppage wins, including eight in Round 1, after his nine-fight UFC middleweight winning streak ended with the loss of his title to Khamzat Chimaev.
The card also features Jared Cannonier against Christian Leroy Duncan, with Cannonier carrying middleweight single-fight records of 241 significant strikes landed and 394 combined strikes in his bout with Marvin Vettori.