The Paycom Center in Oklahoma City is set to host a UFC Fight Night event featuring a 12-fight card. The main event will see former champions Dricus Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman compete in the middleweight division. This marks the return of the Octagon to Oklahoma City after approximately nine years.
The main card is scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM ET, with preliminary matches starting at 5:00 PM ET. The entire event will be available for streaming on Paramount+.
Main Event: Du Plessis vs. Usman
Dricus Du Plessis, a former middleweight titleholder, and Kamaru Usman, a long-time welterweight champion, will face off in the main event. Both fighters are looking to solidify their positions within the 185-pound weight class. This bout is considered a significant test for both athletes, with implications for future title contention.
Du Plessis enters this fight following his first loss in nearly seven years, which resulted in him losing the middleweight strap and ending his unbeaten run in the UFC. His previous defeat was a contest against Khamzat Chimaev. Usman’s appearance marks his first in 13 months and his full-scale debut in the middleweight division, following a short-notice showing at UFC 294 where he challenged Chimaev.
Usman previously secured a win over Joaquin Buckley in Atlanta, showcasing his wrestling skills. The shifting landscape at the top of the middleweight division adds significance to this matchup, as Du Plessis has two wins over current titleholder Sean Strickland, and Usman also defeated Strickland during his welterweight career.
Additional Main Card Bouts
The co-main event will feature a middleweight clash between Jared Cannonier and Christian Leroy Duncan. Cannonier, a consistent presence in the rankings and a former title challenger, has been ranked since his divisional debut at UFC 230. He has a record of five wins and one loss since then, which led to a championship opportunity against Israel Adesanya at UFC 276. His recent performances include a knockout win over Gregory Rodrigues and a victory against Sean Strickland.
Duncan, who arrived in the promotion with an unbeaten record, has since posted a series of wins, including consecutive spinning attack finishes and a unanimous decision victory over Roman Dolidze. This fight is expected to be a pivotal moment in the evolving middleweight division.
In the lightweight division, Chase Hooper will meet Mitch Ramirez. Both fighters started their journeys to the Octagon through Dana White’s Contender Series. Hooper, who received a developmental contract after his win on the second season of DWCS, moved to lightweight and secured multiple wins, including three finishes and a decision victory over Jim Miller. However, he has experienced setbacks in his last two outings.
Ramirez, who faced Carlos Prates on the talent-search series, later earned his spot in the UFC after a first-round stoppage win in a subsequent fight. He is looking to end a two-fight losing streak in the Octagon. Hooper has a history of finishing fights, with finishes in 12 of his 16 career wins, while Ramirez also boasts a high finishing rate.
The main card opener will feature Tommy McMillen and Alberto Montes, both graduates of consecutive seasons of the Contender Series. McMillen, from the Class of ’25, secured a first-round stoppage win over Manolo Zecchini in his Octagon debut, earning a Performance of the Night bonus. He trains with Tim Welch and Sean O’Malley.
Montes, part of the Season 8 graduating class, made his debut and achieved a second-round technical submission win over TUF 29 winner Ricky Turcios, bringing his overall record to 10-1.
Preliminary Card Highlights
The preliminary card includes several matchups, such as Tabatha Ricci against Fatima Kline. Other fights on the preliminary card include Austin Bashi versus Jose Miguel Delgado, Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani against SeokHyeon Ko, and Levi Rodrigues facing Felipe Franco. Additionally, Alden Coria will compete against Stewart Nicoll, RJ Harris will fight Alvin Hines, and Anna Melisano will take on Dione Barbosa.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, 2026, at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
Source: ufc.com