For a while, the anticipated showdown between Dricus du Plessis and Kamaru Usman remained nothing more than speculation in the UFC community. But not anymore!

During the live broadcast of UFC Vegas 119 tonight, the commentators confirmed that both former champions will headline the UFC Oklahoma City Fight Night card. The event is currently scheduled for July 18th, with Usman moving up to the middleweight division to face Du Plessis.

To be fair, the fight between ‘DDP’ and ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is even more intriguing because of the storyline the two former champions have built long before the matchup became official.

Before jumping to middleweight, Usman remained adamant about securing a title shot against Islam Makhachev at welterweight, largely because the reigning champion initially appeared interested in defending the belt against him. However, Usman revealed in February that the UFC had offered him a fight against Du Plessis. The former welterweight champion didn’t outright reject the matchup, but he made it clear that the fight needed to be “meaningful” for him, essentially hinting at a future title opportunity at 185 pounds.

On the other hand, Dricus du Plessis didn’t say much publicly about the fight. But the South African’s gym, CIT Performance Institute, fueled speculation with an Instagram story hinting at the showdown. Even then, the legitimacy of the matchup remained questionable, with ‘DDP’ suggesting on social media that Usman had not yet signed the contract, creating further uncertainty around the booking. That said, the buildup between the two goes far beyond contract negotiations.

Back in 2023, Du Plessis stirred major controversy when he claimed to be the only “real African champion.” The former middleweight champion argued that Israel Adesanya and Kamaru Usman, who were born in Nigeria but later became citizens of New Zealand and the United States, respectively, never brought a UFC title to Africa, because they became residents of different countries. As a fighter representing South Africa, Du Plessis insisted he would be the first champion to truly take a UFC belt back to the continent.

Well, the former champ’s comments sparked massive backlash from both Adesanya and Usman, turning the situation into one of the UFC’s most heated rivalries at the time. However, their animosity appeared to soften somewhat after ‘Stillknocks’ defeated ‘The Last Stylebender’ at UFC 305 and buried the hatchet. Following that victory, Usman praised the South African and welcomed him into what he called the “Four Horsemen” of African champions, alongside himself, Adesanya, and Francis Ngannou.

That said, the South African will be returning after a crushing unanimous decision loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in Chicago a year ago, where he lost the middleweight title. On the other hand, the Nigerian-American former champion snapped his three-fight losing streak with a victory over Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta in 2025. So, heading into this matchup, the momentum is currently on the side of the former welterweight champion.

Now, after the UFC announced this stellar showdown, fans couldn’t help but express their excitement, and their reactions reflected just how eager they are to see the two former champions collide.

Fans overjoyed by Dricus du Plessis vs Kamaru Usman for UFC Oklahoma City

One fan quickly chimed in and excitedly wrote, “Holy s—t, y’all actually finally announced this…😭.” Following that, another user commented, “Whaaaaat! This is going to feed families 🤲🏾🔥🔥.” Talking about the nature of the matchup, a different fan simply wrote, “BANGER.”

Well, Dricus du Plessis and Kamaru Usman are both well-rounded fighters with very few weaknesses on either side. So, it’s expected that the former champions will produce a thriller when they finally collide in Oklahoma City. However, another user brought up a very interesting aspect of the fight.

The fan wrote, “South Africa vs Nigeria part 2 they’re running it back.” Here, the user implied that ‘DDP’ vs. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ would mark the second time the South African fighter faces an ethnically Nigerian opponent after defeating Israel Adesanya at UFC 305.

Talking about the matchup itself, a Du Plessis fan commented, “I mean Dricus is going to absolutely drown Usman.” Then another supporter of the former middleweight champion wrote, “We’ll retire Usman.”

If the fight stays on the feet at UFC Oklahoma City, Du Plessis would definitely appear to have the edge, considering he already went toe-to-toe with Adesanya. However, one fan believes Usman’s corner will be prepared for that threat and keep the fight grounded to secure the victory.

A fan wrote, “If Usman coach’s are smart, he gonna wrestle f–k him for at least 3 rounds.” Probably thinking along the same lines, another fan predicted a decision win for the former welterweight champion, writing, “Usman UD.”

Now, whoever wins this matchup could potentially challenge reigning UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland in a rematch down the line. But, one fan is already confident that Strickland would avenge his previous losses if he faces either Du Plessis or Usman, both of whom have beaten him before, writing, “Strickland will avenge his loss to whoever wins.”

That said, with a high-stakes showdown between Kamaru Usman and Dricus du Plessis set to headline the UFC’s return to Oklahoma City for the first time since 2017, fireworks are almost guaranteed. It will also be fascinating to see how the middleweight title picture shapes up once this fight concludes.