Dricus Du Plessis vs Kamaru Usman Preview and Breakdown UFC Fight Night
Dricus Du Plessis makes his return to the octagon for the first time since losing to Khamzat Chimaev to face Kamaru Usman at UFC Fight Night. This will be Usman’s return to the Middleweight division after dropping back down to Welterweight for UFC Fight Night: Usman vs. Buckley back in June 2025.
The big question mark over this fight is whether Usman can turn his grappling into sustained control against the naturally bigger DDP. Du Plessis will want to force this into a high-output striking affair, but Usman will need to try and drown him with his wrestling to ahead here.
Du Plessis has to keep the fight moving
Du Plessis has the advantage when it comes to volume and pace, having landed 5.18 significant strikes per minute compared with Usman’s 4.16 over their careers thus far. DDP is less accurate when it comes this output, but it’s all about building pressure, stance changes and awkward bursts that force opponents to have to react. The biggest issue for DDP is his 34% takedown-defense rate, and the Chimaev fight shows exactly why that number matters against elite chain wrestling.
Chimaev completed 12 of 17 takedowns in Du Plessis’ last UFC Fight Night contest, controlled Du Plessis for 21:40 and held him to 13 significant strikes. Du Plessis cannot accept settled bottom position against Usman. He needs to control the underhooks, his hips and getting the minor wins in fence-walks, with knees and short hooks waiting when Usman finally separates.
Most recent fight comparison
| Statistic | Du Plessis vs Chimaev | Usman vs Buckley |
|---|---|---|
| Significant strikes | 13 of 29 | 41 of 99 |
| Total strikes | 45 of 68 | 137 of 243 |
| Takedowns | 1 of 1 | 4 of 13 |
| Control time | 0:53 | 12:57 |
Usman has to wrestle before exchanging
Usman’s win over Buckley showed that his best route remains repeatable wrestling rather than going for the pocket exchanges. He landed four takedowns and kept 12:57 of control, while Buckley failed to complete a takedown or record any control time. Usman also owns an 89% career takedown-defense rate, which should limit manage to Du Plessis’ counter-wrestling. Having said that, DDP is naturally bigger at the weight class, so Usman can’t underestimate his grappling ability.
Both fighters have a listed 76-inch reach, but Du Plessis is one inch taller and has spent his UFC career at middleweight. Usman’s averages were largely built at welterweight, so his defensive efficiency cannot be a complete guarantee when he heads up to 185lbs.
How Du Plessis can win
Du Plessis should try and attack the body and legs early. If DDP is able to make Usman constantly have to reset then he can punish him for every failed shot. His best sequence is going to be sprawling, framing back up to standing, striking on the exit and returning to pressure. A prolonged open-space fight favors Du Plessis’ pace and physicality across the five rounds, so he has to try and work to that advantage throughout.
How Usman can win
Usman needs to close distance quickly, and he can do that with feints, connecting his hands and going for chain takedowns until Du Plessis stops scrambling to defend. Usman has to try and put together sustained periods of control, but he also has to be care to not exhaust himself underneath the larger fighter. If he’s able to do that, then his cleaner defense and positional structure can neutralize Du Plessis’ chaos approach.
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