UFC Oklahoma City, also known as UFC Fight Night 281, delivered some serious fireworks this past Saturday night at the Paycom Center, but the main event had everyone talking for all the wrong reasons if you were rooting for Kamaru Usman. Former middleweight titleholder Dricus Du Plessis absolutely dominated, recording a methodical win after picking apart the former 170-pound king in his return to the 185-pound division. It was a unanimous decision victory for Du Plessis, with the judges scoring it a decisive 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46.
Du Plessis Puts On a Masterclass, Usman Stumbles
Let’s just be real, Dricus Du Plessis showed up to fight, and he wasn’t playing around. The dude was relentless, systematically taking apart Kamaru Usman round after round. When one judge gives you a 50-45 scorecard, that’s not just a win, that’s a clinic! Usman, a former champion returning to 185 pounds, just couldn’t find an answer to Du Plessis’s pressure. You gotta wonder what’s going through Usman’s head after a performance like that. This was supposed to be his big comeback statement at middleweight, but Du Plessis just put a massive question mark next to that plan. This win wasn’t just big for Du Plessis, it begs the crucial question we’re all thinking: does this decisive victory officially earn him a title shot next?
Co-Main Delivers, Hooper Impresses
The night wasn’t all about the main event, though. The co-main event saw Christian Leroy Duncan secure the biggest win of his career, taking a decisive unanimous decision over Jared Cannonier. The judges saw it 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28 for Duncan, proving he was in control for pretty much the whole fight. That’s a huge step up for him! And let’s not forget Chase Hooper, who absolutely blew us away on the main card with an impressive first-round submission. He locked in that rear-naked choke against Mitch Ramirez at just 2:15 into Round 1. Talk about making a statement! Other solid finishes included Tommy McMillen with a TKO via punches in the third round against Alberto Montes, and Felipe Franco also securing a TKO in the second round against Levi Rodrigues. Dione Barbosa also had an early night, finishing Alice Melisano with a rear-naked choke in the first round.
So, what’s next after a night like that? For Dricus Du Plessis, the whole fight world is waiting to see if that title shot is officially in his grasp. After picking apart a former champion so convincingly, how can it not be? For Kamaru Usman, this loss at 185 pounds has gotta sting, and it leaves a lot of uncertainty about his next move. We’ll be watching closely to see how the UFC brass shakes things up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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