Dricus du Plessis awaits fight contract amid opponent speculation
Yahoo Sports • 3 min read • Latest: Jun 9, 2026, 9:00 PM
Last updated Jun 9, 2026
Dricus du Plessis announced he is ready to fight but is waiting for his opponent to sign a contract. In a recent Instagram post, he cryptically referenced a 'little someone' who agreed to the bout but struggled to finalize the details. Speculation surrounds former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman as a potential opponent, with a fight possibly slated for July 18 in Oklahoma City. Du Plessis has not fought since losing the middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev in August 2025, marking this as a significant comeback opportunity.
- •Du Plessis is waiting for an opponent to finalize a fight contract.
- •He hinted at Kamaru Usman as a possible opponent on Instagram.
- •The potential fight is targeted for July 18 in Oklahoma City.
- •Du Plessis last fought and lost to Khamzat Chimaev in August 2025.
- •Usman has only fought once in the middleweight division.
- 9:00 PMYahoo Sports — Dricus du Plessis blames ’little someone’ for delaying fight announcement
- 9:00 PMMMA Fighting — Dricus du Plessis blames ’little someone’ for delaying fight announcement
"CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 15: Dricus Du Plessis of South Africa walks on stage during the UFC 319 ceremonial weigh-in at Radius Chicago on August 15, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC) Dricus du Plessis wants everyone to know he’s fighting soon. He’s just waiting for his opponent to sign the contract. In a cryptic Instagram post Tuesday, du Plessis wrote, “a little someone agreed to a fight but actually signing the dotted line isn’t that easy when you know you’re just signing for a show purse.” Recent rumors have tied the former middleweight champion to a bout with former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in a 185-pound bout that could serve as the headliner for UFC Oklahoma City on July 18, though nothing has been officially announced. See du Plessis’ comment below. View this post on Instagram So apparently a little someone agreed to a fight but actually signing the dotted line isn’t that easy when you know you’re just signing for a show purse. Smart-Yes Scared- Definitely Sorry people the announcement is taking longer than expected but from my side it’s been signed and sealed for a while. Du Plessis didn’t specifically name Usman, nor did he mention what card his next fight will take place on, writing only that “the announcement is taking longer than expected but from my side it’s been signed and sealed for a while.” The South African star has not fought since losing his title to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 this past August. Prior to suffering his first UFC loss, du Plessis won his first nine fights for the promotion, including a pair of title fight wins against Sean Strickland, and finishes of former champions Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. Should he secure the fight with Usman, it will mark Usman’s second UFC fight at 185 pounds. Usman rose to the top of the UFC in its 170-pound division, winning a title in 2019 and successfully defending it five consecutive times. He recently snapped a three-fight skid with a unanimous decision win over Joaquin Buckley in June 2025.
"Is Dricus du Plessis taking aim at Kamaru Usman?
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsJun 9, 2026, 9:00 PMDricus du Plessis blames ’little someone’ for delaying fight announcement
Is Dricus du Plessis taking aim at Kamaru Usman?
- MMA FightingJun 9, 2026, 9:00 PMDricus du Plessis blames ’little someone’ for delaying fight announcement
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 15: Dricus Du Plessis of South Africa walks on stage during the UFC 319 ceremonial weigh-in at Radius Chicago on August 15, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC) Dricus du Plessis wants everyone to know he’s fighting soon. He’s just waiting for his opponent to sign the contract. In a cryptic Instagram post Tuesday, du Plessis wrote, “a little someone agreed to a fight but actually signing the dotted line isn’t that easy when you know you’re just signing for a show purse.” Recent rumors have tied the former middleweight champion to a bout with former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in a 185-pound bout that could serve as the headliner for UFC Oklahoma City on July 18, though nothing has been officially announced. See du Plessis’ comment below. View this post on Instagram So apparently a little someone agreed to a fight but actually signing the dotted line isn’t that easy when you know you’re just signing for a show purse. Smart-Yes Scared- Definitely Sorry people the announcement is taking longer than expected but from my side it’s been signed and sealed for a while. Du Plessis didn’t specifically name Usman, nor did he mention what card his next fight will take place on, writing only that “the announcement is taking longer than expected but from my side it’s been signed and sealed for a while.” The South African star has not fought since losing his title to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 this past August. Prior to suffering his first UFC loss, du Plessis won his first nine fights for the promotion, including a pair of title fight wins against Sean Strickland, and finishes of former champions Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. Should he secure the fight with Usman, it will mark Usman’s second UFC fight at 185 pounds. Usman rose to the top of the UFC in its 170-pound division, winning a title in 2019 and successfully defending it five consecutive times. He recently snapped a three-fight skid with a unanimous decision win over Joaquin Buckley in June 2025.
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