According to a report from Kevin Kollins (KevinK), negotiations are underway for a fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman that could take place in July. The post raises questions about what this means for Caio Borralho's plans if this fight comes to fruition. No official confirmation has been provided by the UFC or the fighters' camps. The timing and implications for the middleweight division remain uncertain. The post is attributed to KevinK as the source.
A report from journalist Kevin Kollins indicates that negotiations are in progress for a middleweight bout between Dricus Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman, with a potential target date sometime in July. Neither the UFC nor either fighter's camp has officially confirmed the matchup, and the story should be treated as unverified for now.
Du Plessis, known as "Stillknocks," holds a 23-3-0 record and currently sits at number two in the middleweight rankings, with a top-ten pound-for-pound placement at number seven. The 32-year-old South African out of Team CIT stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and fights out of a switch stance. He generates significant offense at 5.18 significant strikes landed per minute and mixes in takedowns at a rate of 2.22 per 15 minutes.
Usman, nicknamed "The Nigerian Nightmare," carries a 21-4-0 record and is best known as a dominant former welterweight champion. The 39-year-old American, now ranked eighth at welterweight, would be stepping up a division for this contest. He stands six feet tall with a 76-inch reach and is a proven wrestling threat, averaging 2.82 takedown attempts per 15 minutes across his career.
If the fight is confirmed, it would leave the status of Caio Borralho, currently ranked fourth in the middleweight division, in question. The 33-year-old Brazilian holds an 18-2-0 record and has been in position to make a run at a title shot. How his plans adjust around a potential Du Plessis-Usman booking remains unclear.
Why it matters
- Du Plessis is the number-two-ranked middleweight, so any opponent chosen ahead of Borralho carries significant divisional implications
- Usman would be moving up from welterweight, an unusual crossroads matchup for a fighter ranked eighth at 170 pounds
- Borralho, ranked fourth at middleweight with a 56 percent striking accuracy, could find his path to a title shot delayed depending on how negotiations develop
