UFC Oklahoma City Recap: Dricus du Plessis Dominates Kamaru Usman in Paycom Center Return

The UFC made its long-awaited return to Oklahoma City on July 18, 2026, with UFC Fight Night 281 at the Paycom Center. Headlined by a intriguing middleweight clash between former champions, the 12-bout card delivered strong performances, record-breaking striking, and several statement wins.

Main Event: Dricus du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman

In the five-round main event, Dricus du Plessis (24-3) put on a dominant performance, defeating Kamaru Usman (21-5) by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46).

“Stillknocks” used sharp, unorthodox striking to rock Usman multiple times while stuffing takedown attempts. Usman showed heart and had a late flurry, but it wasn’t enough. Du Plessis re-established himself as a top contender at middleweight and called for another shot at the belt.

Biggest Winners of the Night

Dricus du Plessis — The clear star of the night. A dominant decision over a future Hall of Famer moves him right back into title contention and erases the sting of his previous loss.
Christian Leroy Duncan — Earned a clear unanimous decision over veteran Jared Cannonier. Duncan continues his ascent with impressive control and striking.
Chase Hooper — Submitted Mitch Ramirez via rear-naked choke in Round 1. “The Star” looked sharp at lightweight and added another finish to his highlight reel.
Fatima Kline — Dominated ranked strawweight Tabatha Ricci en route to a 30-27 unanimous decision. Kline looks like a legitimate threat in the division.
Tommy McMillen — Delivered one of the most impressive performances of the night. The undefeated featherweight prospect set a new UFC record for significant strikes landed in a three-round fight (252) and earned a Performance of the Night bonus with a third-round TKO over Alberto Montes. A star is born.
Felipe Franco and RJ Harris — Both picked up highlight-reel finishes and Performance bonuses.

Biggest Losers / Disappointments

Kamaru Usman — The former welterweight king struggled in his middleweight return. Now 1-4 in his last five fights, questions about his future remain despite his resilience and post-fight comments that he’s not done.
Jared Cannonier — Dropped another decision. The veteran continues to slide as younger fighters pass him by.
Tabatha Ricci — Unable to impose her grappling against a sharper, more dynamic Fatima Kline. A tough night for the ranked veteran.

Other Notable Results

- Felipe Franco def. Levi Rodrigues Jr. via TKO (R2) — Performance of the Night.
- Several prospects like Jose Delgado, Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani, and Ezra Elliott picked up solid wins on the prelims.

Bonus Winners

Fight of the Night: Dricus du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman
Performance of the Night: Tommy McMillen, Felipe Franco (and others noted in reports)

The event drew a strong crowd of over 17,000 fans and showcased why Oklahoma City was a welcome return for the UFC. Du Plessis’ win keeps the middleweight division exciting, while breakout performances from McMillen and Kline signal new talent ready to shake things up.

What did you think of the card? Was Du Plessis’ performance enough for a title shot, or does Tommy McMillen steal the show as the breakout star? Drop your thoughts in the comments.