The training team of Dricus Du Plessis has confirmed that a fight with Kamaru Usman is in the works. CIT Performance Institute, the gym where Du Plessis trains, posted the information on their social media channels on May 5, 2026. The post did not provide specific details about the date or location of the potential bout. However, the confirmation from Du Plessis's camp suggests the matchup is progressing toward an official announcement. Fans are now awaiting formal confirmation from the UFC.
The training camp of Dricus Du Plessis has indicated that a showdown with Kamaru Usman is in the works, with CIT Performance Institute posting confirmation to their social media channels on May 5, 2026. The post stopped short of revealing a date or location, and formal confirmation from the UFC has yet to follow. For now, the matchup should be treated as unconfirmed.
Du Plessis, known as "Stillknocks," carries a 23-3-0 record and currently sits ranked second in the middleweight division and seventh in the pound-for-pound standings. The 32-year-old South African fights out of a switch stance, stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, and brings considerable pressure with 5.18 significant strikes landed per minute at 48 percent accuracy. He also adds a meaningful grappling threat, averaging 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Usman, nicknamed "The Nigerian Nightmare," holds a 21-4-0 record and is ranked eighth in the welterweight division. The 39-year-old American trains with Kill Cliff FC and shares the same six-foot frame and 76-inch reach as his reported opponent. A historically elite wrestler, Usman averages 2.82 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands 4.36 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy.
Why it matters
- Du Plessis is a top-two middleweight stepping down or Usman moving up, making the divisional weight class central to any official announcement
- Both fighters share nearly identical physical dimensions, setting up a close stylistic contest between two switch-stance grapplers with finishing ability
- A win for either man would carry significant pound-for-pound and ranking implications across two divisions
- Fans and the broader MMA community are now waiting on the UFC to make the bout official
