A middleweight bout between Dricus Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman is currently in negotiations and could take place in July, according to a report from KevinK. The potential matchup raises questions about Caio Borralho's next opponent, as he was previously expected to face one of these fighters. If the Du Plessis-Usman fight materializes, it would pit the current middleweight champion against the former welterweight champion moving up in weight. The July timeframe suggests this could be a significant summer event for the UFC. Details remain limited as negotiations are still ongoing.
Reports emerged Wednesday that middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and former welterweight king Kamaru Usman are in negotiations for a bout that could take place as soon as July, though no deal has been officially confirmed.
Du Plessis, 32, carries a 23-3-0 record and holds the UFC middleweight title, currently ranked second in the division and seventh on the pound-for-pound list. The South African fighter out of Team CIT operates out of a switch stance and stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach. He lands an impressive 5.18 significant strikes per minute and adds a takedown threat, averaging 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Usman, 39, would be moving up from welterweight for this contest, bringing a 21-4-0 record into the 185-pound division. Known as "The Nigerian Nightmare," the Kill Cliff FC representative sits eighth in the welterweight rankings and also boasts a 76-inch reach at six feet tall. He lands 4.36 significant strikes per minute with 52 percent accuracy, and his wrestling pedigree shows in his 2.82 takedowns per 15 minutes.
The reported negotiation also reshuffles the picture for Caio Borralho, the fourth-ranked middleweight who was previously in line to face one of these two fighters. The Brazilian, representing The Fighting Nerds at 33 years old with an 18-2-0 record, now appears to be in a holding pattern. Borralho lands 56 percent of his significant strikes — the highest accuracy figure among the three fighters involved in this story.
Why it matters
- A confirmed booking would pit the reigning middleweight champion against one of the most decorated fighters in UFC history moving up a weight class
- The unconfirmed report raises immediate questions about where Borralho fits into the title picture
- Du Plessis and Usman share identical reach measurements, setting up an intriguing physical matchup between two switch-stance fighters
