A middleweight title bout between Dricus du Plessis and Kamaru Usman is reportedly under negotiation and could take place in July, according to insider KevinK. This development comes amid ongoing social media exchanges between du Plessis and contender Caio Borralho, who traveled to South Africa to challenge the champion. If the Usman fight materializes, it remains unclear who Borralho would face instead. Usman would be moving down from welterweight to challenge for the middleweight title. The fight has not been officially confirmed by the UFC.
Negotiations are reportedly underway for a middleweight title fight between champion Dricus du Plessis and former welterweight king Kamaru Usman, with July being discussed as a potential target date, according to insider KevinK. The UFC has not officially confirmed the bout.
Du Plessis, 32, carries a 23-3-0 record into any potential title defense and currently holds the middleweight strap while ranking second in the division and seventh pound-for-pound. The South African fights out of a switch stance, stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, and brings considerable offensive output — landing 5.18 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy, while also averaging 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes. He has been engaged in a public back-and-forth with contender Caio Borralho, who recently traveled to South Africa to call out the champion in person.
Usman, nicknamed "The Nigerian Nightmare," would be making a significant move down in weight if the fight comes together. The 39-year-old American holds a 21-4-0 record and is currently ranked eighth at welterweight. Standing six feet tall with a matching 76-inch reach, Usman has historically been one of the more accurate strikers in the sport, connecting at 52 percent and averaging 4.36 significant strikes per minute, while also averaging 2.82 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career.
Why it matters
- A Usman title challenge would mark a notable cross-divisional move, with the former welterweight champion stepping up in weight class rather than down
- Du Plessis has been publicly targeted by Borralho, meaning a Usman booking would leave the top contender's next opponent unresolved
- Both fighters share identical reach and switch stances, setting up an intriguing stylistic mirror match if the negotiation is completed
- The report remains unconfirmed, and the July timeline is still fluid
