A fight between middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and former welterweight king Kamaru Usman is currently in negotiations and could take place in July, according to a report from Kevin Iole. This potential matchup raises questions about what opponent Caio Borralho, who has been campaigning for a title shot, would face if Du Plessis is matched with Usman instead. The details are still being finalized and nothing has been officially confirmed by the UFC. If the bout materializes, it would mark Usman's first fight at middleweight.
Negotiations are underway for a middleweight title fight between champion Dricus Du Plessis and former welterweight king Kamaru Usman, with a potential July target date, according to a report from Kevin Iole. Nothing has been officially confirmed by the UFC, and details are still being worked out.
Du Plessis, 32, carries a 23-3-0 record and holds the middleweight title while sitting seventh in the pound-for-pound rankings. The South African fighting out of Team CIT is a relentless pressure fighter who lands 5.18 significant strikes per minute with 48 percent accuracy, and also threatens with 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes. At six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, he is a switch-stance striker who has proven difficult to categorize defensively.
Usman, 39, holds a 21-4-0 record and is currently ranked eighth at welterweight, fighting out of Kill Cliff FC. The Nigerian Nightmare is known for elite wrestling, averaging 2.82 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career. He lands 4.36 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy and shares the same 76-inch reach as Du Plessis. If the fight is made, it would be Usman's first appearance at middleweight.
The reported matchup also creates a significant complication for Caio Borralho, the fourth-ranked middleweight who has been actively pushing for a title shot. The Brazilian carries an 18-2-0 record and lands strikes at 56 percent accuracy, the highest of any fighter involved in these discussions. Should Du Plessis be paired with Usman, Borralho's path to a title opportunity would be delayed.
Why it matters
- A Du Plessis vs. Usman booking would bypass the top middleweight contenders, directly affecting the divisional queue
- Borralho, ranked fourth at 185 pounds, would need a new opponent and potentially a longer wait for a title shot
- Usman moving up to middleweight represents a significant career shift for the former 170-pound champion
- The switch-stance mirror matchup and overlapping physical dimensions set up an intriguing stylistic contest on paper
