Kamaru Usman has no doubt that his name is already among the greatest in MMA history. However, the former welterweight champion (up to 77 kg) believes that one achievement is still missing to definitively consolidate his legacy: winning a second UFC belt. Scheduled to face Dricus Du Plessis in the main event of UFC Oklahoma , next Saturday (18), the Nigerian revealed that this is the main objective of the final stretch of his career.
During the event's 'media day', held last Wednesday (15), the Nigerian explained that he already sees himself among the great names in the sport, but acknowledged that being part of the select group of champions in two different categories would have a special weight in his career. Asked if winning a second title would place him among the five greatest fighters of all time, the athlete was direct in his answer.
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“In my head, I already feel that way, but the club of champions in two categories is the only one I'm not yet a part of. If I join that club, at least I can say, 'Hey, I'm part of this club and you're not,'” Usman declared.
The duel against Dricus Du Plessis represents precisely the opportunity to begin this journey. If he overcomes the former middleweight champion (up to 83,9 kg), 'The Nigerian Nightmare' gets closer to a title fight in the category, seeking to repeat the feat of legends like Georges St-Pierre, Alex Poatan and Amanda Nunes , who won titles in two UFC divisions.
At 39 years old, Usman is trying to write a new chapter after dominating the welterweight division between 2019 and 2022. During his reign, the veteran accumulated five title defenses and defeated heavyweight opponents such as Colby Covington , Gilbert Burns , Jorge Masvidal , and Leon Edwards.
Now, facing Du Plessis, the former champion will have the chance to prove that he still belongs among the elite of the sport. More than just returning to fight for a title, a victory at UFC Oklahoma could put him back on the path to a historic achievement and further strengthen his candidacy among the greatest names in MMA history.
Dricus and Kamaru's retrospective
Kamaru Usman arrives at UFC Oklahoma looking to get back on track in title contention. After losing the welterweight title to Leon Edwards and being defeated by Khamzat Chimaev in his middleweight debut (up to 83,9kg), the Nigerian returned to winning ways by defeating Joaquin Buckley by unanimous decision. Now, the former champion is betting on a victory over Dricus Du Plessis to reposition himself among the top contenders for the division's belt.
On the other side, Du Plessis is trying to start a new run towards the belt after losing the middleweight title to Chimaev. The South African was riding high after victories over Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya , but ended up being defeated by the Chechen in his last fight. Now, facing Usman, he seeks to show that he remains among the top names in the division.
Watch the first face-off between Kamaru Usman and Dricus Du Plessis.
Dricus du Plessis and Kamaru Usman just faced off for the first time 👀 pic.twitter.com/lOjNuPqrKe
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 15, 2026
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