Las Vegas – UFC® returns to Oklahoma City for the first time in almost 10 years for its debut event at Paycom Center with a thrilling middleweight bout that sees former champion and current No. 2 ranked contender Dricus Du Plessisbattle former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. Also on the card, No. 11 ranked UFC middleweight contender Jared Cannoniertakes on No. 13 Christian Leroy Duncan.
UFC® FIGHT NIGHT: DU PLESSIS vs. USMAN takes place Sat., July 18 at Paycom Center. The prelims will air at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT, followed by the main card airing at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. All bouts will stream live on Paramount+.
Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: DU PLESSIS vs. USMAN are on sale now and available at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.
Former UFC middleweight king Du Plessis (23-3, fighting out of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa) intends to remind the division of the skills that made him champion. A well-rounded finisher who has earned stoppages in 20 of his 23 wins, Du Plessis’ resume includes victories over Sean Strickland (twice), Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. He now intends to spoil Usman’s return to 185-pounds and retain his spot in the Top 5.
Usman (21-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo. by way of Auchi, Nigeria) makes his sophomore appearance at middleweight with his eyes set on a quick rise to title contention. Considered one of the greatest welterweights of all time, he holds wins over Colby Covington (twice), Jorge Masvidal (twice) and Tyron Woodley. Usman now intends to kick off his 2026 campaign by proving he still has what it takes to claim UFC gold in a second weight class.
Cannonier (18-9, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) makes his first Octagon appearance of 2026. A former middleweight title challenger, he owns bonus-winning victories over Gregory Rodrigues, Marvin Vettori and Derek Brunson. Cannonier now has his sights set on defending his spot in the rankings by turning away another rising contender.
Duncan (14-2, fighting out of Gloucester, England) plans to extend his win streak by securing his biggest victory yet. An exciting and dynamic striker, Duncan broke into the Top 15 ranking with consecutive wins over Roman Dolidze, Marco Tulio and Eryk Anders. He now looks to make a statement by taking out Cannonier in impressive fashion.
Additional bouts on the card include:
- An exciting welterweight bout sees fan favorite Kevin Holland (29-15 1NC, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) take on undefeated prospect Jacobe Smith (12-0, fighting out of Dallas, Texas)
- Featherweight hopefuls Austin Bashi (14-1, fighting out of West Bloomfield, Mich.) and Jose Delgado (11-2, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) lock horns
- Undefeated rising prospect Tommy McMillen (10-0, fighting out of Scottsdale, Ariz.) aims for another highlight-reel performance as he faces Alberto Montes (12-1, fighting out of Barquisimeto Estado Lara, Venezuela) at featherweight
- An intriguing women’s strawweight bout sees Tabatha Ricci (12-4, fighting out of Ventura, Calif. by way of Birigui, São Paulo, Brazil) face Fatima Kline (9-1, fighting out of Hyde Park, N.Y.)
- Undefeated Dana White’s Contender Series light heavyweight debutant Levi Rodrigues Jr.(5-0 1NC, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) aims to impress against Felipe Franco (10-2, fighting out of Bahia, Brazil)
- Alden Coria (12-3 1NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) seeks to remain undefeated in the UFC as he faces Stewart Nicoll(8-3, fighting out of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia)
- Heavyweight action sees Allen Frye Jr.(6-1, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) go toe-to-toe with Alvin Hines (7-1, fighting out of Grand Rapids, Minn.)
- Chase Hooper (16-5-1, fighting out of Enumclaw, Wash.) and Mitch Ramirez (8-3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) clash at lightweight
- Veronica Hardy (10-5-1, fighting out of New York, N.Y. by way of Caracas, Venezuela) and Dione Barbosa (9-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil) cross paths in a women’s flyweight tilt
For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit UFC.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for credentials to the event.
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About UFC®
UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 259 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world while broadcasting to over 975 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.
About Paycom Center
Paycom Center is Oklahoma City’s premier entertainment facility and home to NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder. Consistently listed on Pollstar’s Top Arenas Worldwide, the venue hosts numerous concerts, family shows, and sporting events creating memories for thousands of guests each year. Paycom Center is owned by the City of Oklahoma City and managed by Legends Global, the premier venue management and services company. For more information and a full list of events, visit paycomcenter.com.
About Paramount, a Skydance Corporation
Paramount, a Skydance Corporation (Nasdaq: PSKY) is a leading, next-generation global media and entertainment company, comprised of three business segments: Studios, Direct-to-Consumer, and TV Media. The Company’s portfolio unites legendary brands, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, CBS – America’s most-watched broadcast network, CBS News, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Showtime, Paramount+, Pluto TV, and Skydance’s Animation, Film, Television, Interactive/Games, and Sports divisions. For more information please visit www.paramount.com.
