Dricus du Plessis returns to the Octagon this weekend as the South African star begins his journey back towards UFC title contention.
Oklahoma, USA (14 July 2026) – Nearly a year after last stepping into the Octagon, South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis is back.
The former UFC middleweight champion returns to action next weekend when he headlines UFC Fight Night against former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in Oklahoma City, with South African fans eager to see “Stillknocks” back where he belongs.
Du Plessis enters the bout looking to bounce back after losing the middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev in August 2025. The fight marked the end of his reign as champion, but it also set the stage for what many hope will be another run towards UFC gold.
The Pretoria-born fighter has become one of the sport’s biggest stars, earning 20 finishes from his 23 professional victories while defeating some of the biggest names in the middleweight division, including Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland twice.
Standing opposite him will be UFC veteran Kamaru Usman, who returns to the middleweight division for a blockbuster clash between two of Africa’s most accomplished mixed martial artists.
The contest also presents another intriguing challenge for Du Plessis. Throughout his professional career, he has never lost back-to-back fights, making this a significant opportunity to remind the division why he spent so long at the top.
Now the fight is just days away, anticipation is building as South African supporters prepare to cheer on Du Plessis in his long-awaited return to the Octagon.
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