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What's next for Dricus Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman after UFC Oklahoma City?

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What's next for Dricus Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman after UFC Oklahoma City?

The UFC was in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Saturday for a solid UFC Oklahoma City card. The main event saw former middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis taking on former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in a pivotal fight at middleweight.

Du Plessis was coming off a lopsided loss to Khamzat Chimaev, to lose his middleweight title. Usman, meanwhile, was moving back up to middleweight after he returned to the win column with a decision win over Joaquin Buckley at welterweight last time out.

Ultimately, it was Du Plessis who won a clear-cut decision in a rather lopsided result to return to the win column. Following UFC Oklahoma City, here is what I think should be next for the middleweight contenders.

Dricus Du Plessis

Dricus Du Plessis returned to the win column with a lopsided decision win over Kamaru Usman at UFC Oklahoma City. Du Plessis was able to land the more damaging shots and was able to avoid stuffing Usman's takedown attempts. The South African was dominant from start to finish to prove he's still a legit title contender.

Although Du Plessis has two wins over Sean Strickland, it's likely the champ will face either Nassourdine Imavov or rematch Chimaev next. So, Du Plessis should have to take another fight, and he should headline a Fight Night card later this year against Brendan Allen, with the winner getting a title shot.

Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman struggled to deal with Dricus Du Plessis' size and power at middleweight, as a return to welterweight is likely. Usman couldn't get going as he started slowly and was never able to find his groove.

If Usman stays at middleweight, he could get a veteran like Jared Cannonier. Yet, a move back to welterweight makes sense, where the former champ should face Belal Muhammad, and the winner can get back on track, while the loser would become a permanent gatekeeper at 185lbs.

What do you think should be next for Dricus Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman after UFC Oklahoma City?

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MMA

Colby Covington drags Daniel Cormier into ugly Jon Jones feud

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Colby Covington drags Daniel Cormier into ugly Jon Jones feud
Colby
Covington has brought Daniel
Cormier into his latest feud with Jon Jones.

Jones' protégé, Gable
Steveson, was knocked out by Sean Sharaf
in a major upset at UFC
331 in September in Los Angeles. Covington subsequently blamed
Jones' “bad energy†for Steveson's loss. Jones responded by saying
that Covington, his former college roommate, hasn't achieved even a
fraction of what he has in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Colby Covington tells Gable Steveson to leave Jon Jones for
Daniel Cormier

Covington responded by citing domestic abuse allegations against
Jones. “Chaos†said Jones' professional achievements don't excuse
his alleged conduct outside the cage. The former interim
welterweight champion then suggested that Steveson train with
Daniel
Cormier, Jones' longtime rival.

“The things I say only bother you because they're true,†Covington
wrote on X. “You're a narcissistic abusive sociopath. Your
achievements inside the Octagon don't make you a better person
outside of it. Those same achievements definitely don’t give you
the right to abuse women either, Jon. At the end of the day, I feel
for Gable being in this situation… It's too bad he can't take
punches from heavyweights as well as your wife does. If Gable
really cares about advancing in his career, he should leave you and
go train with a real man like Daniel Cormier.â€

Jones and Cormier's heated rivalry has continued since their
fighting careers ended. Jones defeated Cormier in their first UFC
bout, but his knockout victory in their rematch was overturned to a
no contest after “Bones†failed a drug test. Years after retiring,
“DC†has said he has no interest in reconciling with Jones.

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MMA

Brendan Allen accuses Dricus du Plessis of taking ‘easier’ Kamaru Usman fight

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Brendan Allen accuses Dricus du Plessis of taking ‘easier’ Kamaru Usman fight
Brendan
Allen has criticized Dricus Du
Plessis for allegedly avoiding a fight with him.

A matchup between Allen and du Plessis was reportedly in the works
in January. According to Allen, the bout fell through after he was
told du Plessis was injured. Du Plessis went on to face former

Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder Kamaru
Usman in July, winning by unanimous decision.

Brendan Allen explains why he believes he was a tougher
opponent than Kamaru Usman

Allen has accused du Plessis of avoiding him in favor of an easier
fight against Usman. “All In†acknowledges that the 39-year-old
former welterweight champion remains a bigger draw. However, Allen
believes he presents a tougher matchup, prompting du Plessis to
take the “easier fight.â€

“I know he's had the opportunity to fight me and he took the easier
route,†Allen told UFC on Paramount+. “He can say whatever he
wants; it's a fact. We were supposed to fight. And somehow it got
worked that Kamaru's name got thrown in there. And obviously Kamaru
is a bigger draw even though he's older, up a weight class. He took
the easier fight, plain and simple. Everyone knows it was the
easier fight. I'm bigger, I'm stronger, I'm faster. I think I'm
more talented, but people are gonna play off of Kamaru's resume.
OK, play off his resume, but I don't think that Kamaru can make it
five rounds with me.â€

Allen (27-7) enters his
UFC Vegas 122 main event against Christian
Leroy Duncan (15-2) on Saturday in Las Vegas with three
consecutive victories. Duncan has won five straight fights.

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MMA

Morning Report | Sean Strickland and Nassourdine Imavov have heated run-in at the UFC P.I.

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Morning Report | Sean Strickland and Nassourdine Imavov have heated run-in at the UFC P.I.

Let me start with what this isn't:

What is your pick for the highest level fight we have ever seen inside the cage?

This can be:

  • A fight with to guys at the absolute peak of their powers (Cejudo vs MM, Dillashaw vs Cruz, Jones vs Cormier)

  • A fight that had an insane technical level between both guys that blew your mind (Evloev vs Sterling comes to mind)

Have a little fun with it and as always disagree vehemently but respectfully! 🫡

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