Kamaru Usman says he is not reading too much into Khamzat Chimaev's dominant wrestling performance against Dricus Du Plessis. Usman is preparing for his own bout with Du Plessis at UFC OKC.
Kamaru Usman has publicly brushed aside concerns about Khamzat Chimaev's wrestling-heavy victory over Dricus Du Plessis, insisting the performance will not change his preparation as he gets ready to face Du Plessis at UFC OKC.
Usman, 39, carries a 21-4 record and competes primarily at welterweight, where he is ranked eighth. The American fighter out of Kill Cliff FC is a technically well-rounded competitor, landing 4.36 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy while averaging 2.82 takedowns per 15 minutes. His move up to middleweight for this contest represents a significant step, and he has chosen not to treat Chimaev's blueprint against Du Plessis as required reading.
Du Plessis, the 32-year-old South African ranked second at middleweight and seventh pound-for-pound, enters the bout on a 23-3 record. Fighting out of a switch stance, he stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and generates an aggressive output of 5.18 significant strikes per minute. He also contributes on the ground, averaging 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a multi-dimensional threat despite the difficulties Chimaev exposed.
Chimaev, ranked first in the middleweight division at 15-1, demonstrated exactly why that ranking is justified in his outing against Du Plessis. The 32-year-old based out of Allstars Training Center averages a division-leading 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and connects on 60 percent of his significant strikes — a combination that made the South African look unusually vulnerable.
Why it matters
- Usman's willingness to dismiss the Chimaev performance suggests confidence in a distinct game plan rather than a reactive approach
- Du Plessis, despite the loss, remains the second-ranked middleweight, so a win for Usman would carry significant divisional weight
- The stylistic contrast — Usman's wrestling pedigree meeting Du Plessis's volume striking — sets up a genuinely competitive matchup regardless of what Chimaev showed
