Overview
- The five-round main event between former middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is scheduled for tonight, Saturday, July 18, 2026, at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
- Both fighters made the contracted middleweight limit at official weigh-ins on July 17 and completed ceremonial obligations ahead of the main card.
- A UFC-released face-off clip showing a marked size and frame difference for Du Plessis sparked broad fan reaction online and sharpened pre-fight narratives about physical advantage.
- Betting markets and several pundits opened with Du Plessis as the favorite and public predictions have largely tipped him to win, citing his size, power, and recent run at 185 pounds.
- Beyond tonight’s result, a victory would reposition the winner immediately in the 185-pound title picture and could lead to matchups with the division’s top names such as Sean Strickland or Khamzat Chimaev.