Dricus says beating Usman may not be enough for title shot

Compiled by Dylan Bettencourt

• Dricus du Plessis faces Kamaru Usman on Sunday after losing the UFC middleweight title in 2025.

• Du Plessis says a strong performance, not just victory, is needed to earn another title fight.

Dricus du Plessis says simply beating Kamaru Usman may not be enough to earn another UFC title fight.

The South African faces the former welterweight champion at UFC Fight Night in Oklahoma City on Sunday morning, South African time.

Du Plessis lost the middleweight belt to Russia’s Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in August 2025.

Chimaev has since lost the title to American Sean Strickland, who Du Plessis has already beaten twice.

Du Plessis is ranked second in the middleweight division and wants another chance to fight for the belt.

But he told The Citizen that he must do more than just win against Usman.

“Just a win does not necessarily guarantee me a shot at the title,” he said.

Du Plessis said he needs a performance that leaves no doubt that he is still one of the world’s best fighters.

Usman is moving up from welterweight for the fight, but he remains a dangerous wrestler.

Du Plessis has spent much of the past year improving his fighting on the ground after Chimaev’s wrestling caused him serious problems.

He told New York Post Sports that losing the title helped him find the weak parts of his game.

“Without this loss, I would have never known I had these issues,” he said. “The loss is in the past, but what I learned from it will only help me in the future.”

Pictured above: Dricus du Plessis facing off against Kamaru Usman.

Image source: Dricus du Plessis/Instagram